


The Royal Family

by blazingEmblem



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/M, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers but only in chapters 5 and 6, shumako
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:13:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23737402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blazingEmblem/pseuds/blazingEmblem
Summary: Various iterations between Joker and the Niijimas throughout his stay in Tokyo, and beyond.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 32
Kudos: 269





	1. First Meeting

A lot could change in life, even in so short a time.

No longer was she content with simply doing as she was told, going through the motions of life.

For a while, she had simply distracted herself by throwing herself at her studies.

Distracted herself from her lack of connection or friendship with her peers.

Distracted herself from her strained relationship with her sister.

Distracted herself from how lonely she felt.

It didn’t sting as much to admit that now,

Because she had friends now. Friends that she wouldn’t give up for the world.

And of course, there was her boyfriend.

Her very, very, _very_ affectionate boyfriend, who was currently peppering her face with kisses.

“R-Ren, stop!” she laughed, trying to get away from his amorous assault.

Not that she tried very hard.

“Ok, I’ll stop.” he smirked. “... as soon as you stop being so cute.”

“H-Huh?!” she stammered, her face flushed red. “That’s...mmph!”

She was cut off by her boyfriend's lips.

“Guess you don’t want me to stop.” he chuckled as they broke apart.

To be fair, she really didn’t.

She wasn’t aware of how much she craved affection until recently.

She found that while he was more reserved in public, he was fairly affectionate when it was just the two of them.

At one point, he had confided in her about how lonely he had felt when he had first arrived in Tokyo.

So she wanted to be there for him as well, as his equal.

She cupped the sides of his face, drawing him into a deep kiss before moving her fingers into his hair just how he liked it.

He let out a soft groan into her mouth as she lightly tugged at a strand of his messy black curls.

She hadn't exactly expected their study session to turn into a makeout session on her living room couch, but she certainly wasn’t complaining.

She shivered under his touch as he felt his hands begin to roam her body.

“W-We should take this back to my room.” she whispered. “Come o-”

“Makoto, I’m home!”

She froze, hearing the sound of her sister getting home from work… much earlier than normal.

“Have you finished… making… dinner…” Sae trailed off.

She had planned to tell her elder sister about her boyfriend… eventually.

Having her catch them sucking face on the couch with his hand up her shirt wasn’t exactly how she _wanted_ her to find out, though.

They immediately separated and stood up to face her.

“Makoto… who is this?” Sae muttered, her voice eerily calm.

“O-Oh… sis, um… this is, um… my study partner.” Makoto stammered.

“Right… now why don’t you tell me who he really is!” Sae demanded.

She wasn’t calm anymore.

She found herself shaking, unable to look her sister in the eyes.

As if sensing her hesitation, she heard Ren clear his throat, ready to speak.

“I’m Ren Amamiya, Niijima-san.” he said, giving a small bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“And what exactly is your relationship with my sister?” Sae spat.

“I’m… M-Makoto’s boyfriend.” he stuttered.

“For how long?” Sae responded.

“A few days.” he answered.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“A… few months.” Ren corrected.

She could feel her sister’s gaze drilling into her.

“And you never told me this, Makoto?” Sae asked, venomous anger seeping into her voice.

“How could I? You’re never home.” she whispered.

“What was that?”

“N-Nothing, sis.”

Her sister’s gaze shifted towards Ren, carefully scrutinizing him like a defendant on the stand.

“Wait… I know you.” Sae coldly observed. “You’re that criminal that Sakura-san took in, aren’t you?”

She saw her boyfriend visibly wince.

“That’s not-

“Yes or no.” Sae coldly said.

“...Yeah, that’s me.” he muttered.

“Sakura-san has a daughter under his care, doesn’t he.” Sae stated.

Shifting her gaze to the side, she saw her boyfriend clench his fists.

“What about her?” Ren said through clenched teeth.

“Ren…” she whispered, trying to calm him down.

“How do you feel about Sakura-san, as a guardian?” Sae inquired. “From what I understand, his daughter’s been a shut-in for years.”

She knew that her sister had threatened Boss in regards of Futaba’s treatment, but now she was trying to extract information from Ren.

As calm as Ren normally was, threatening Boss or Futaba would quickly set him off.

She needed to do something before things got too heated.

“Sis, just stop already!”

They both turned to look at her.

“C-Can we talk in private, please?” she asked. “I’ll tell you everything sis, just… please.”

A few very uncomfortable seconds passed before Sae gave a loud, exasperated sigh.

“Fine, let’s talk.” Sae said, before turning towards Ren. “And don’t you even think about leaving.”

As she went to follow her sister, she felt Ren grip her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Thank you.” she whispered, his encouragement filling her with strength.

She followed her sister into her room, utilizing breathing techniques her father had taught her in order to stay calm.

Conversing with family shouldn’t be this stressful, and yet...

“Now, are you going to tell me why you were alone here with a boy?” Sae coldly said.

“I invited him here.” she admitted.

“Why?”

“Because he’s my boyfriend and I wanted to spend time with him.” she answered.

She winced as she saw her sister’s expression twist into a scowl.

“I provide food, shelter, and clothing for you every day so that you can have a future!” Sae yelled. “Not so you can go fraternizing with criminals!”

“He’s not a criminal!” she yelled back. “He was framed!”

“Is that what he told you?” Sae asked. “Because the police say otherwise.”

“I believe him.” she said with conviction. “He’s very kindhearted, smart, has a strong sense of justice, and he encourages me to be myself... to be my best.”

“You’re being childish!” Sae argued. “It doesn’t matter whether he framed or not. It doesn’t matter what he’s really like. All that matters is that he was found guilty!”

“How can you say that?!” she shouted. “I can’t just sit by while injustice happens! That’s not what father would-”

“And look where father’s justice got him!” Sae interrupted.

She flinched at her sister’s sharp tone, tears beginning to prick at her eyes.

“I’m trying to protect you.” Sae said, a little softer. “Just know that you shouldn’t be associating with someone like that.”

“Even if the entire world was against him, I would still stick by him.” she insisted. “Because I know that he’s innocent… and…”

“And…?”

“B-Because I love him!” she cried.

She didn’t think it was possible, but her sister’s glare grew even more intense.

But she wasn’t going to just do what she was told anymore.

She was going to follow her heart. Her justice.

So she glared right back.

“And what if he assaults you too?!”

“Ren would never do that!”

They were both screaming now, tears freely flowing down her face.

“How would you know that?!” Sae shouted. “Do you really think he loves you?!”

“DO YOU?!”

The words came out of her mouth before she even realized what she was saying. Immediately, she covered her mouth with her hands, as if it would stop her sister from hearing her words.

But judging by the way that pure shock crossed her face, and how her mouth hung agape, she had heard her loud and clear.

“S-Sis, I sorry, I didn’t m-

“Fine.”

“Huh?”

“Just… do whatever you want, then.” Sae muttered. “I don’t care.”

“Sis, wait!”

She watched as her sister exited the room, the slamming of a door signaling that she had left the apartment altogether.

She started crying even harder as she curled up into a ball on her bed.

“I-It’s all my fault…” she whispered to herself.

A few minutes later, she heard the door to her room creak open.

“Makoto…?”

It was Ren’s voice.

A part of her wanted to just crawl into a hole somewhere to hide.

She didn’t want to appear weak in front of him.

She felt him sit down on the bed, wrapping his arms around her.

“I-I’m sorry.” she sobbed. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“Why are you apologizing?” Ren asked, gently rubbing her back. “If anything, I should be saying sorry.”

“W-What? Why?”

“She was angry at me, wasn’t she?” Ren pointed out. “I didn’t want to cause trouble between you two…”

“But I was the one who invited you!” she countered in-between sobs. “This never would have happened if I didn’t do that.”

He paused for a few moments, and she knew the gears in his head were turning, figuring out what to say.

“Then… let’s share the blame.” he gently offered. “Together. As equals.”

She gave a contented sigh, feeling herself soothed by his word and touch.

“Yeah…” she trailed off.

They continued to embrace each other for a while longer, no words being exchanged, both of them content to simply be in each other’s presence.

After she had fully calmed down, they broke the embrace.

“Better?” Ren asked softly.

She nodded.

“Do you want to talk?” he asked. “It’s ok if you don’t.”

She bit her lip, debating on whether she should say what was on her mind, before ultimately deciding to do so.

“I… I just wish people didn’t treat you so harshly.” she admitted. “Every time I hear someone say something horrible about you, I just… I hate it!”

She knew how most of the students at school hated him, how his old friends at his hometown had simply abandoned him, and that his relationship with his parents since the incident could be considered distant at best. And now, her own sister had treated him horribly.

But he didn’t deserve that! He did deserve that at all!

“I’m ok.” he insisted, gripping her hand.

“Are you?” she asked.

“I am.” he nodded. “Because I have the other Thieves.”

He started brushing his thumb over her knuckles.

“And I have you, Mako.”

She found herself smiling at his affectionate nickname for her.

“Thank you for not being like the others.” he whispered.

He shifted closer to her.

“Thank you for being you.” he said, his voice beginning to crack.

He looked at her, his face showing clear signs of emotion.

“T-Thank you for loving me…” he said, before placing a tender kiss on her forehead.

“Oh, Ren…” she cooed, cupping the sides of his face. “You’re not alone.”

She placed a chaste kiss to his lips. “You are loved. Please, never forget that.”

“Same to you.” he responded, returning the favor. “I love you, Makoto.”

Her smile turned even brighter as she pulled him into another hug.

“I know, Ren… and I’ll stand by you, no matter what.”


	2. Observations

An exhausted sigh escaped her throat as she typed away at her laptop, absorbed into her work.

That delinquent had been coming over frequently as of late.

She wasn’t exactly fond of his presence, but she had other things to deal with at the moment, like the Phantom Thief case.

And after the recent fight she had had with her sister, she was hesitant to speak with her about the issue again.

So, she reluctantly allowed him to visit, as long as he behaved himself as she kept a close eye on him.

They simply stood out of each other’s way, neither of them really speaking to the other.

Still, even after all these years, it stung to have another man around the house…

Right now, he was watching a movie in the living room with Makoto. Some ridiculous romantic comedy that he had picked up at a nearby video store.

She kept the door to her room open as she continued her work, just in case.

At the very least, they were much less likely to get involved in anything… scandalous if they knew she could hear them.

It took all of five minutes for her to regret this decision.

“Are you… taking notes?” he chuckled.

She let out a squeak, nearly dropping the notebook she had just been furiously scribbling on.

“I, um... ah…” she stammered. “It’s just… the girls on these movies are always so bubbly…”

“Relax.” he told her. “I love you just the way you are.”

She smiled, setting her notebook down, leaning into him as he wrapped his arm around her.

“Besides, I’m more of a hands-on learner anyway.” he mentioned.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

He quickly cupped her cheek, pulling her into a kiss.

“R-Ren?!”

“So, how would you grade that kiss, study partner?” he smirked.

“Well… it was alright, I suppose…” she trailed off.

“J-Just alright?” he responded, deflating a little.

She gave him a small smirk.

“Guess you’ll have to study a bit more.” she cooed.

She glanced around before pulling him into another kiss…

The boy left after the movie was done, leaving just her and Makoto, who was currently busy in the kitchen.

“Are you making something, Makoto?” she asked.

“O-Oh, sis!” Makoto gasped. “I was just… preparing my lunch for tomorrow.”

“Two bento boxes seems like quite a lot for just one person.” Sae muttered.

“W-Well, I was making one of them for Ren…” she admitted.

She let out a sigh.

“B-But he makes food for me all the time!” she defended.

“He does?”

“Yes, he helps out his guardian around Leblanc.” she explained. “He’s always serving me and our friends free coffee and curry, so… I wanted to pay him back.”

“You don’t need to do that.” she pointed out.

“I know.” she admitted. “But I want to. He’s… very smart and dependable, you know?”

“Is that so?” she questioned.

After she had gotten over the initial shock of her sister being involved, she had wondered how on Earth Makoto could fall for someone like… that.

She could certainly see how other girls would find him charming, but she had told her little sister that a partner in life should be reliable and intelligent.

But Makoto seemed to think that he really possessed those qualities.

Perhaps she had best keep an eye out, to see if there was any truth to that…

When Makoto had first told her about his intelligence, she had been fairly skeptical, especially when she had mentioned that his exam scores were the highest in his grade.

But when she walked in on him and Makoto studying in the living room, she was surprised at how diligently he seemed to be working.

Curiosity getting the better of her, she glanced at his work before moving to her room.

From what she could tell, he was easily whipping through the questions, only occasionally needing assistance from Makoto.

“So, how’s this look?” Ren asked.

Makoto glanced at his work, giving a small smile as she finished.

“Very good.” Makoto complimented. “If you keep this up, you’ll easily get the top score on exams.”

“That’s thanks to you, study partner.” he grinned. “But what about you? You’ve got your entrance exams coming up, right?”

“I do.” Makoto nodded. “It’s good to brush up on these topics, thought.” she mentioned.

“Well, if you ever need a quiet place to work, Leblanc is always open for you.” he offered.

“If you’re going to be serving coffee, then I might just take you up on your offer.” Makoto responded.

“Oh? Are you just coming for the coffee?” he teased.

“Well... the company is nice too.” she whispered, blushing. “A-Ah, but we haven’t really had a group study session in a while, have we?”

“No, I guess we haven’t.” he agreed. “Maybe we should have one soon.”

Makoto pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a sigh.

“It’s going to be difficult to convince some of them to actually study.” she muttered.

“Just give them one of death glares to keep them in line.” he chuckled.

“Maybe I should be giving you one.” she smiled, lightly smacking his arm.

She continued to glance over at the two of them as they continued to diligently study for their classes.

It was clear that the delinquent was actually quite intelligent.

But that only made her more wary of him...

His intelligence wasn’t his only quality, however...

That was a fact that she had learned one chilly afternoon, when a knock on the door had interrupted her from her work.

“Who could that be?” she thought to herself.

She opened the door, immediately frowning at what she saw.

“Oh. It’s you.” she muttered.

“Hello, Niijima-san.” Ren greeted. “I was wondering if-

“Makoto has a cold.” she interrupted, moving to shut the door.

“Y-Yeah, I know… I made some soup for her. I thought it might help.” he said.

She stared him directly in the eyes for a few moments, looking for any sign of deceit.

“How did you know she was sick?” she asked.

“She texted me.” he answered.

“...You really came all the way here to bring her soup?” she questioned.

“I wanted to help her feel better...” he murmured.

He reached into his bag, and sure enough, he had brought chicken soup inside of a thermos… as well as…

“Is... that a movie?” she asked.

The cover was filled with a bunch of thuggish looking men, some of which wielded weapons like swords or brass knuckles.

“Yeah, a Yakuza movie.” he said, a small grin on his face. “I just rented it. Figured she’d enjoy it while she’s sick, and she could give it back when she gets better.”

“...Fine. I give it to her, then.” she grumbled, taking the soup and movie.

“Oh, and tell her I said h-”

*SLAM*

She quickly shut the door, placing the movie and soup on the table.

“Makoto, there’s some soup for you” she called out.

A few moments later, Makoto came out of her room, looking a little drowsy.

“From Ren, right?” she said, giving a small smile. “He just texted me.”

“Yes, from him…” she answered. “He rented a movie to give you too.”

Her sister glanced at the movie on the table, immediately perking up as she did so.

“Oh! Like a Dragon!” Makoto beamed.

“You… like those movies?” she asked in disbelief.

“W-Well, it’s just that… it has a famous director, that’s all.” Makoto nervously whispered.

“So, that would be yes…” she thought to herself.

She had honestly thought that the delinquent had just rented a movie he liked, rather than one Makoto would like.

Makoto began eating her soup, seemingly enjoying it quite a bit.

She always looked happy when he gave her gifts.

Some of those were apparently from before she had discovered their relationship.

There was that motorcycle figurine, the Destinyland hat, a couple of books...

And God knows how many panda-related items!

She watched as her sister finished her meal before glancing at her phone, an enamored look on her face.

Makoto was completely smitten, that was for sure.

But she was also painfully naive about the ways of the world.

And as a prosecutor, and the daughter of a police officer, she had heard countless disturbing tales about naive girls who got involved with the wrong crowd.

People like that delinquent.

She could picture the obnoxious smirking face right this moment.

She knew his type all too well from her own time in high school.

The type to lure girls in with superficial charm and mysterious aura, only to leave them broken.

She had even overheard him call her Queen, like some sleazy club host!

Associating with a persona like that would be disastrous for her career.

She paused.

Just her career…?

No, Makoto was in danger too.

That was why she was angry in the first place.

And Makoto… was… more important than her career.

Of course.

Of course...

So… she needed to see if she was important to him too.

That he had only the best intentions.

“Makoto?”

“Yes, sis?”

“About your boyfriend…”

Her little sister’s body immediately stiffened. “Sis, did you say something to him…?”

“No, I didn’t.” she said. “But I want to change that. I realize that I’ve never really had an honest conversation with him.”

Makoto simply nodded, urging her to go on.

She took a deep breath, hoping her plan would work out.

“So that’s why I’d like you to invite him over to dinner one of these days.”


	3. Dinner

“Can you… repeat that?” he muttered in disbelief.

“My sister wants to have you over for dinner.” she said.

“And there’s no way we can put this off until later?” he asked.

“I’m sorry.” Makoto sighed. “I know you have a lot on your plate right now.”

“It’s fine.” Ren said, giving an easygoing smile. “You’re worth it.”

“I-I’ll be there too.” she stammered, growing a tad flustered. “I’ll make sure she isn’t too harsh.”

“That’s good.” he nodded. “So, what are we having for dinner, anyway?”

“Well, sis doesn’t cook that often, so she left it up to me.” Makoto brought up. “And… I was thinking that maybe you could cook some curry for her?”

“If you wanted free curry, you could just ask.” Ren joked.

“T-That’s not-” she quickly said, before realizing he was joking. “I was thinking that if you impressed sis with your cooking skills, it might help smooth things over.”

“Good thinking.” he agreed.

“Would you like any help?” she asked.

“Thanks, but I’ve got this.” he said.

With any luck, the spicy dish would help to melt her cold heart.

* * *

As she watched him put on his apron and grab the ingredients, she noticed that something about him seemed a little… off.

He seemed to be preparing the food just as professionally as always, but without the usual smile on his face. His entire body language seemed a little stiffer than before, in fact. As if he were simply going through the motions.

“Is everything ok, Ren?” she asked.

“I just want everything to be perfect.” he admitted. “I want to make a good impression on her.”

She beamed, walking up to him before kissing him on the cheek.

“Well, I really appreciate this.” she told him. “And I’m sure that sis will too.”

“Has… everything been ok between you two?” he asked. “Since she found out about us.”

“Things feel even more distant than before.” she admitted. “It feels like we talk even less now. I… said something horrible to her when she first found out about us.”

“I see.” he muttered. “That’s…”

No matter how much he tried to hide it, she had been with him long enough to know when something was bothering him.

“There’s something else, isn’t there, Ren?” she inquired.

“No, I’m fine, just-”

“Ren.” she interrupted, her tone gentle but firm. “You’ve always been there for me when I needed someone to confide to. And I want to be there for you as well. As an equal.”

He glanced away, looking conflicted.

She took a hold of his hands, gently rubbing her thumbs over his knuckles.

“But I need you to tell me what’s wrong, Ren. Please.”

“C-Can… we talk in the attic.” he whispered, his voice cracking.

“Of course.” she said, taking his hand before leading him upstairs.

As soon as they sat down on his bed, however, she could see the tears beginning to form in his eyes.

“I… I can’t handle this anymore, Makoto.” he sobbed. “I can’t…”

She slowly took his glasses off before drawing him into a hug, letting him sob into her shoulder.

“Is this… about Akechi?” she asked.

“It’s… everything.” he choked up. “What happened with Okumura, how the public hates us, the interrogations, Akechi trying to kill me…”

She held him a little tighter, feeling her own tears starting to fall.

“I’m so sorry.” she whispered. “B-Because of what I said to sis, things might be even harder for you and-”

“N-No…” he stammered. “You… don’t have a palace. You haven’t killed anyone. I don’t blame you for any of this.”

“Still… I promise, I’ll do everything in my power to save you.” she resolved. “We’ll all work together, and… and… nothing will happen to you!”

“Makoto…” he responded.

“We’ve already been through so much, and we’ll get through this too.” she promised. “Trust in me, Ren. Trust in the team.

“Yeah…” he said, a small smile forming.

For the next several minutes, she ran her hand through his hair and began pressing feathery kisses to his cheek and temple.

Hearing the contented sigh he left out, she couldn’t help smiling.

“You really are like a cat being petted, aren’t you.” she giggled.

“Mmm… if I was one, I’d spend all nine of my lives with you.” he smiled.

“D-Did you seriously come up with that line on the spot.” she stammered, her face beginning to flush.

He gave a small laugh before closing his eyes.

“I could tell sis that you're busy today.” she offered. “And we could have dinner another time.”

“It’s ok. If you’re there, I’ll be alright.” he muttered. “I’ll just make that curry and-”

“Not yet.” she insisted, bringing his head to her lap. “I think you've earned a rest.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “I could prepare it right now and-mmph!”

She silenced him with a kiss, her finger still combing through his curls.

“It’s ok, Ren.” she whispered. “Everything’s going to be ok.”

He smiled, closing his eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep.

“Love you… Mako…” she heard him murmur in his sleep.

She quietly giggled, careful not to wake him. “I love you too, Renren.”

Slowly, she kissed his forehead, hoping for him to have a peaceful slumber.

“And I’ll protect you… no matter what.”

* * *

A few hours later, the two Thieves arrived at the Niijima’s apartment.

She had done her best to help Ren look more presentable, but his hair had proven to be a beast wilder and more unruly than any opponent they had faced in the Metaverse.

And normally, she wouldn’t have it any other way, but her sister, on the other hand…

“Ok, do you remember everything we talked about?” Makoto asked. “You’re on time and dressed well, but what about table manners and choice of words and-”

“Makoto!”

“H-Huh?”

“Relax.” he stressed, before letting out a smirk. “Come on, you know how much of a silver tongue I have.”

“Oh really?” Makoto inquired, a coy smile on her face. “And just how skilled with your tongue are you?”

“I’ll show you.” he whispered, closing the distance between them before bringing her into a deep kiss.

...That was immediately interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

They quickly separated, trying their best to look composed.

“H-Hey, sis.” Makoto greeted.

Sae nodded in her sister’s direction, before glancing over at him. “You’re here early. Good.”

“Thank you for having me over for dinner, Niijima-san.” he said, fighting back nervousness.

“There’s no need for thanks.” Sae said coolly. “I simply wanted to speak with you. That’s all.”

“Oh…”

“W-Well, dinner is ready!” Makoto brought up. “So, if you’re both hungry, we can all sit down and eat!”

The three of them sat around the kitchen table, the tension in the air nearly suffocating him.

And yet Sae looked just as fierce as always, ready to pounce on him for any perceived weakness or flaw in his words or demeanor.

He watched as Makoto unveiled the curry, the slightest of shifts in Sae’s expression telling him that curry was not a common dish in the Niijima household, and that she was attempting to discern the reason for why it was being served now.

“You’re welcome to try some.” he said, a bit too quickly.

She raised an eyebrow.

“Ren… he made this curry.” Makoto whispered.

A long, uncomfortable pause followed Makoto’s words...

“Did he now…?” Sae finally muttered, slowly taking a bite.

“H-How is it…?” he asked.

“...It’s fine, I suppose.” Sae shrugged.

…

...

“Oh my God, this is amazing!” Sae thought to herself.

“How did the two of you meet?” Sae questioned.

“She tutored me from time to time.” he said, an answer already prepared. “I was pretty thankful, so I invited her to hang out with my friends and me.”

It wasn’t… a complete lie.

“And how did the two of you start dating?”

“Well, we started hanging out more, and we sorta hit it off.” he answered vaguely.

Seeing her sister about to comment on his cryptic response, Makoto quickly spoke up.

“The more we spoke, the more we realized how much in common we have!” Makoto stated. We’re both hard workers, for example.”

“Right… you help out around Leblanc, don’t you?” Sae asked.

“That's right.” he nodded, grinning. “I remember you stop by every now and again. I’m really thankful for you inviting me over, so your next cup is on the house!”

“I can pay for myself.” Sae coldly said.

“O-Oh…”

“U-Um, he also really enjoys martial arts.” Makoto added.

That got her attention.

“You know marital arts?” Sae asked.

“I hope she’s not about to ask me to spar with her in order to win her favor…” he thought.

“Y-Yes, Ren has many talents!” Makoto insisted.

“Guess I’m quite the _Ren_ aissance man!” he joked.

Makoto winced, resisting the urge to bury her face in her palms.

“...A pity that humor isn’t among those talents.” Sae deadpanned.

The longer this went on, the worse he felt that he was doing.

And the worse he thought he was doing, the more nervous he got.

There were about a hundred different ways this could go wrong, the worst of which would be Sae somehow figuring out they were Phantom Thieves. 

Trying to calm down, he took a deep breath, put on a brave face, and tried to find a way to distract himself.

* * *

“Eep!”

“Are you alright, Makoto?” Sae wondered.

“O-Of course!” Makoto stammered. “I feel fine!”

“WHY IS HE PLAYING FOOTSIE WITH ME NOW OF ALL TIMES?!” Makoto thought.

She glanced over at him, his cocky, if very handsome, smirk on his face.

“Are you sure you’re ok?” he asked, as if he wasn’t the cause for her state. “Your face is bright red.”

“T-The curry’s just a little hot!” she excused.

“Oh? I didn’t put too much spice, did I?” Ren said innocently.

Again! He just rubbed his foot against hers again!

“And you’ve been together for months now, correct?”

She’d show him!

She slowly, slooooowly, rubbed her calf against his.

The hitch in his breath was oh so satisfying.

“O-Oh, yeah, we have.” he stuttered.

“And why didn’t you tell me about this?!” Sae yelled.

Both of them immediately flinched under the tone of her voice.

“W-We kept it a secret from everyone!” Makoto explained. “We didn’t want any rumors staring about us…”

Sae glared for a few moments longer before shaking her head.

“Makoto.” Sae muttered. “Could you go to your room for a minute? I want to speak to him.”

“But-”

“Alone.”

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat before getting up, shooting a sympathetic look Ren’s way as she made her way to her room.

* * *

Now that it was just the two of them, his nerves were starting to get the best of him.

Desperately, he glanced around the apartment, looking for anything to distract him.

The door out of the apartment was looking pretty inviting at this point…

The T.V in the living room was still on...

“A severe thunderstorm in the area…” the weatherman droned on.

“A thunderstorm…” he mused. “I should probably-”

*SLAM*

The sound of Sae’s hand slamming the table startled him out of his thoughts.

“Hey!” Sae yelled. “Pay attention to me when I’m talking to you!”

“S-Sorry.” he muttered. “Did you say something?”

“I asked you what your intentions are.” Sae asked, her gaze fierce. “Are you just trying to screw around?! I worked too damn hard supporting Makoto for you to ruin her future.”

“I’m completely serious about her.” he answered honestly. “I’m willing to do whatever I can to support her.”

“And what about when your probation ends, and you return to your hometown?” Sae asked.

“I was planning to return here after I graduate high school.” he told her.

“And why is that? Is it just because of my sister?” Sae scoffed.

He shook his head. “Not just her, but she is a big reason why, admittedly.” he confessed. “But it’s also because I’ve grown to love it here. Sojiro and Futaba are like a second family to me. And I’ve also got plenty or great friends too.”

Sae nodded, urging him to continue.

“I want to get into a good college and get a good career. Unfortunately, my hometown is really small, so it doesn’t have as many opportunities as a big city.”

“Alright then.” Sae nodded, her softer tone suggesting that she accepted his reasoning. “And what do you want to be in the future?”

“I was hoping to get into politics!” he grinned.

“Ridiculous.” Sae dismissed. “Do you really think that the people would vote a criminal into office?”

“...Well, to be honest-”

“Nevermind, don’t answer that.” Sae sighed, cutting him off. “You say there’s not much opportunity in your hometown. What do your parents do?”

“My mother’s a teacher.” he told her.

“And your father?”

“I… don’t know.” he admitted, eyes downcast. “He left my mom and I right after I was born.”

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

“Interesting…” she said, a faintly judgmental look in her eye.

He hoped she didn’t see that as a reason for his criminal record, and thus, a reason he couldn’t be with Makoto.

“I… feel kinda bad for my mom.” he admitted, trying to change the subject. “She had to work really long hours just to support me. It felt like I was eating away at her life.”

Zeroing in on Sae’s face, he saw the briefest flash of guilt on her expression.

“I just feel kind of… useless to her sometimes.” he said, knowing the impact his words would have on her.

Makoto had told him about their fight, after all.

“Let’s... talk about something else.” Sae told him.

“Sure.” Ren nodded. “She talks about you a lot, you know?”

“Hmm?”

“Your sister.” Ren clarified. “She really looks up to you. And she loves spending time with you too.”

“What is he talking about?” Sae mused. “Is he just trying to butter me up?”

“Why are you telling me this?!” Sae snapped. “What do you care what our relationship is like?!”

“Well, I want her to be happy.” he answered, as if she had just answered the easiest question in the world.

“Oh… well, fine.” Sae muttered, not expecting such a straightforward answer.

He allowed himself to relax, ready to answer anything else she had to ask.

* * *

The rest of dinner proceeded without any incident, and she had gone to her room to think on her next course of action.

That boy had answered her questions better than she had anticipated, but still… she just couldn’t say that she trusted him.

He definitely seemed to be hiding something.

And that being the case, she would just tell Makoto not to see him anymore. She didn’t want to hurt her, but it was for her own good.

When she looked into the living room, however, she saw that he was still there, saying goodbye to her sister.

She stood in the hall, listening into their conversation.

Rude as it was to eavesdrop, she was too concerned with that delinquent to care.

“Everything ok?” Ren asked.

“Y-Yeah… I’ll see you tomorrow at school.” Makoto stammered.

“Wait, one more thing!” Ren quickly said.

“Huh?”

“I was looking at the weather channel earlier, and they said there’d be a nasty thunderstorm.” he mentioned.

“O-Oh… I see.” Makoto whispered.

“If the power goes off, call me like last time, ok?” Ren said. “I’ll stay up as long as you need me to.”

“A-Are you sure?” Makoto asked. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

A burden…

“Is that what...Makoto thinks of herself?” Sae thought.

She bit her lip, a tinge of guilt welling up inside of her.

“Mako…” Ren whispered, drawing her into a hug.

“You’re not a burden.” Ren told her before softly kissing her forehead. “You will _never_ be a burden to me.”

His expression was one of warmth and sincerity, not one trace of the cunning smirk from before.

“Ren...” Makoto cooed, closing her eyes before resting her head on his chest. “You’re a wonderful boyfriend.”

Ren’s eyes widened, his cheeks beginning to flush. “T-Thanks. You are too.” he stammered. “Err, um, a good g-girlfriend, I mean. Not boyfriend.”

Makoto simply giggled, nuzzling into him.

“Well, I suppose he’s not always a charmer, huh?” Sae mused to herself.

The thought was… oddly comforting. It made him seem more genuine.

The two said goodbye to each other again, and he was out the door.

Seeing Makoto sit down on the couch, she decided to join her.

“Oh, sis.” Makoto called. “How was… your talk with Ren?”

“It was fine.” Sae answered tersely. “But I need to ask you something.”

“Yes?”

“Are you… afraid of the dark?”

She heard Makoto gasp before glancing at the ground, embarrassed.

“I am…” she whimpered. “It’s just… three years ago, it was so dark and stormy… that night…”

Immediately, she pulled Makoto into a hug.

“S-Sis?”

“I’m sorry, Makoto.” she whispered. “I had no idea…”

“It’s ok, sis.” Makoto assured. “I’ll be ok now…”

She saw Makoto glance at her phone, a smile on her face.

“Does he really make you happy?” she asked, even if she already knew the answer.

“Yes.” Makoto answered, her smile growing even larger. “More than anything.”

She thought back to the conversation she had just heard.

“If you’re happy, that’s enough.” she told her. “...Just be careful, ok?”

Her little sister’s eyes widened, surprised by her response.

“O-Of course! We’ll both be very careful!” Makoto quickly said.

Makoto got up from the couch, reaching for her phone.

Remembering Ren’s words from earlier, she cleared her throat, catching Makoto’s attention.

“One more thing… I might be able to get a day off soon.” she said. “Would… you like to go out to dinner then? Just the two of us?”

She watched Makoto’s face practically light up in sheer joy.

“I-I would love that!” Makoto beamed. “That sounds wonderful!”

Her joy was infectious, a small smile finding its way onto her face.

“Well, look forward to it, then.” she smiled. “Now get to bed, alright?”

“I will.” Makoto nodded excitedly. “Good night, sis.”

In her excitement, however, her little sister had forgotten her phone on the couch.

Hearing it buzz, she glanced at it, seeing the message.

Ren: Sweet dreams, my Queen.

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

“Seriously?” Sae scoffed. “Who on Earth would fall for a line like that?”

“Sis, have you seen my phone?” Makoto called.

“It’s right here.” she answered.

Makoto quickly came back to the living room, glancing at her phone.

“Eep!” Makoto squeaked, dropping her phone before covering her blushing face with her hands.

“Are you kidding me…?” Sae mused.

After taking a moment to compose herself, Makoto scooped up her phone from the ground and held it close to her chest.

“So, Queen, huh?” Sae teased.

She turned around, an embarrassed look on her face.

“S-Sis!” Makoto squeaked, quickly scampering off to her room.

She couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle, taking a short moment to relax.

“Ren Amamiya…” she thought to herself. “Maybe you aren’t that bad after all...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, everyone! Feel free to let me know what you think!


	4. Interrogation

Ren Amamiya was the worst.

If there was anything that she was sure of, it was that.

*SLAM*

“You bastard!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

She saw the boy wince from the sound of her voice, which in turn caused him to flinch in pain.

She didn’t care at all.

“I trusted you!” she snarled. “Makoto trusted you!”

She couldn’t believe that she had allowed herself to trust this delinquent.

She knew he was hiding something, but she still trusted him.

Only to find out that he was the leader of the Phantom Thieves.

“You really are nothing but a manipulative criminal!” she snarled.

She saw him grit his teeth, glaring at her.

“I’m the criminal?!” Ren snapped. “I’m not the one with distorted desires! I’m not the one who doesn’t care about anything except winning!”

“Don’t act like you know me!” she yelled.

“I’ve been to your palace.” he told her. “I know. Justice comes second to results. Everything comes second to results.”1”

“Do you really think that’s all I care about?!” Sae shouted. “Even more than Makoto?”

“I bet you don’t even know what she’s been up to, do you?” he accused.

Her glare grew even more menacing.

“If you’ve done _anything_ to her, then I’ll-”

“It’s not me who did anything.” he interrupted. “I bet you don’t even know about what happened between her and the principal.”

Her eyes widened ever so slightly. “Explain. Now.”

“He was blackmailing her.” he clarified.

“WHAT?!”

“He ordered her to investigate the Phantom Thieves.” he explained. “He told her that it would reflect poorly on you if she didn’t do as she was told.”

She grit her teeth in anger. “That disgusting little tub of lard!” she spat. “To think he would send Makoto to do his dirty work…”

As she thought it over, however…

“How do I know if you’re telling the truth?” she asked.

“You can ask Makoto herself.” he answered. “She’ll back me up.”

He seemed confident, but…

“Why wouldn’t Makoto tell me about this?” she wondered aloud.

“Maybe because a certain someone made her feel like she was “useless” and just “ate away at her life”.” he spat, anger beginning to seep into his voice. “No wonder she didn’t tell you. She didn’t want to feel like a burden!”

*SLAM*

“Shut up!” Sae yelled, directing all of her rage at the boy in front of her. “Makoto… she… she wouldn’t...”

He sighed. “Like I said, you can ask her to confirm everything I’m telling you. Including when Kaneshiro had his eye on her.”

“K-Kaneshiro?!” Sae gasped. “The gang leader?! That Kaneshiro?!”

“The same.” he nodded. “His goons were targeting people from our school, and some of them managed to capture her, asking her to pay a huge amount of money. So we had to go and save her and Kaneshiro’s other victims.”

“You’re lying!” Sae snapped. “Makoto… she would have told me something…”

“Like I said, you can ask her yourself.” he replied. “And then you can ask yourself if it was better to leave it to the police in that situation.”

Maybe he was being a bit too harsh on her. But so far, most, if not all of his interactions with her had been negative, so he couldn’t help but let out some bitterness at her.

“I was so focused on getting a promotion, and I grew angry at the Phantom Thieves when they got to Kaneshiro before the police.” Sae mused. “But if not for them… if it was up to the police, they might not have caught Kaneshiro in time. Makoto could have been…”

She shuddered to think about a man like Kaneshiro would have done to her sister.

“Very well then…” she muttered. “I suppose the least I can hear you out, no matter how ridiculous your story seems.”

* * *

The more the boy went on about his team’s escapades, the more it became clear that he really did have a strong sense of justice. Even through the intense pain he must have been feeling, his passionate expression whenever he spoke of helping the innocent shone through.

It was a passion that she had once felt as well…

But she had allowed her career to take precedence over everything.

Justice, the innocent…

And even her own family.

And throughout all of it, she could hear Makoto’s voice in her head, urging her to remember her justice. To remember the person she once was.

Perhaps that was how she found herself in the situation she was in now.

Smuggling a notorious ‘criminal’ out of jail in the back of her car to prevent an assassination attempt on his life from a colleague of hers.

She could hear him groan in the back of the car, the pain from the police’s interrogation catching up to him.

“T-Thank… you…” he murmured, his voice strained.

“Don’t thank me yet.” she said, her voice soft but firm. “I still have a few more questions to ask.”

He gave a small nod.

“Makoto… she really is part of your little group, isn't she?”

“...Yeah.” he mumbled.

“You mentioned someone in your group having the codename ‘Queen’.” she recalled. “I assume that’s Makoto.”

“H-How did you know?”

“Because you call her Queen _all the time_ at my home.” she grumbled.

“O-Oh, yeah…” he nervously stammered.

“Let me guess, you gave her that name, didn’t you?” Sae deadpanned.

“Well, she liked it…” he defended.

“I still can’t believe that my own sister is involved with something like that.” she sighed.

“She joined us because she believed in our justice.” he explained.

“I know…” Sae trailed off. “I just can’t help but worry…”

“I’ll keep her safe.” he promised. “No matter what.”

“Don’t say it like that.” Sae muttered. “Makoto… would be devastated if anything were to happen to you.”

He glanced at the floor, his mask beginning to break, revealing the pain beneath.

“And… I want Makoto to be happy.” Sae told him. “And I know that you do too. So… let’s start over.”

He looked up at her in confusion. “Huh?”

“I know that we haven’t exactly gotten along with each other before.” Sae stated. “I know you have your reasons for disliking me, so I just wanted to say that I’m sorry.”

“Then… I’m sorry too.” he said. “I might have said some harsh things to you during the interrogation.”

She shook her head. “That’s alright. I need to hear it. You… helped me remember the person that I used to be. You helped Makoto from Kaneshiro when I wasn’t there. And even now, you were willing to risk your life for her and your friends. I am so thankful…”

“Let’s call it even then.” he smiled. “You did just save my life, after all.”

She let out a small laugh. “Fair enough.”

The rest of the ride to Leblanc was fairly quiet, which was probably for the best, considering they didn’t want to draw too much attention to themselves.

She told him to wait in the car as she went to find Sojiro.

As soon as she entered Leblanc, all eyes were immediately on her.

Her sister, in particular, looked at her with a nervous expression.

“He’s alive.”

A wave of relief fell over the group as she delivered the news.

“He’s in a car right now.” she explained. “Sakura-san, are you here?”

The older man came out from behind the counter. “Yeah, I’m right here.”

“I need your help getting him out.” Sae requested.

Sojiro nodded, following her outside.

As soon as they grabbed him out of the car, she could see him putting on a brave face.

Likely for the other members of his team.

As they brought him inside, his fellow thieves swarmed around him, eagerly greeting him, and he was doing his best to appear as if he wasn’t in an antagonizing amount of pain.

Soon, Makoto joined them, and as soon as she did…

“R-Ren…” she whispered, tears starting to flow down her face. “Y-You’re ok!”

Immediately, she wrapped him into a hug, kissing him gently, yet passionately, not caring that they weren't alone at the moment.

“Makoto…” he whispered, desperately trying not to break down right in front of her.

They remained in each other’s arms for a few moments longer before she guided him to a table, as he pretended that everything was okay.

As Sojiro began to prepare some curry for him, she walked up to the counter, clearing her throat.

“Excuse me, Sakura-san.”

He turned to her, a grunt signaling her to continue.

“I… just wanted to apologize.” she murmured.

“About what?” Sojiro asked.

“About everything with Futaba-chan…”

“Oh, that.” Sojiro recalled, before letting out a small chuckle. “Sorry, it’s just that I’ve made so many beautiful women mad at me over the years, it’s hard to remember them all.”

Perhaps that was just his way of telling her not to worry about it.

* * *

After a while, the other Thieves left at different times, hoping not to arouse suspicion. Soon, it was only her and her sister left.

“Makoto.” Sae called. “We’re leaving now.”

“Oh, R-Right.” she responded, getting up from her seat next to her boyfriend.

Before she could leave, however, she felt Ren grab her arm.

“R-Ren…?”

“P-Please… don’t leave me…” he whimpered, his voice breaking.

She could feel her breaking for him

She slowly held his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Sis, I’m staying.”

“Makoto-”

“I’m. Staying.” she repeated, more forcefully than before.

“...Ok.” Sae finally said. “And… Makoto…”

“Yes, sis?”

Sae walked up to her, drawing her into a hug.

“I’m so sorry, Makoto.” she answered. “If I had known about your principal, or Kaneshiro… if I hadn’t formed a palace…”

“I-It’s ok sis. It’s ok.” she whispered, tears starting to flow as she returned the hug. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Makoto.” Sae expressed. “Stay safe, ok? And call me if anything comes up.”

“I will.” she responded.

“I’ll be leaving the two of you alone then.” Sojiro said, following Sae outside.

“Mako…” Ren rasped. “I-”

“Shh…it’s ok.” she assured him. “Everything’s going to be ok. You’re safe now. You’re home.”

He said nothing, instead burying his head into her shoulder and weeping.

They sat there for a while. He didn’t say anything, but her embrace and the sweet nothings she whispered into his ear seemed to help him.

“Mako…”

“It’s getting late…” she whispered. “Do you want to head to bed now, Ren?”

“Yeah…” he answered. “Are you…?”

“I’ll be staying the night.” she said. “And I’ll take care of you in the morning, ok?”

Finally, he let out a small smile. “T-Thank you.”

“Come on, let’s get upstairs.” she insisted, carefully guiding him up.

She bit her lip when she saw the obvious pain he was in as she slowly helped him up the stairs.

“Do you... need help getting undressed?” she asked, grabbing some pajamas.

He glanced away, an ashamed look on his face.

“Ren, it’s ok.” she promised. “Really, it’s ok.”

She helped him out of his blazer and undershirt, tears welling up in her when she saw all the bruises all over his body.

“Oh my God…” she whispered.

“Damn it…” he muttered. “I feel so weak… I…”

“Ren… you don’t need to be strong all the time.” she told him. “I’m here for you whenever you need me.”

She brought her lips to a bruise on his chest, placing a soft kiss.

“Ah, M-Makoto-” he gasped.

“Relax.” she smiled. “I said I take care of you, didn’t I?”

She continued to kiss every bruise he had before moving onto his face.

“I won’t hurt you.” she whispered, kissing his cheek.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

She kissed his forehead.

“I’ll always be there for you.”

She kissed his nose.

“I protect you, no matter what, ok?”

Their lips met, and he let out a contented sigh.

“Thank you… but let me protect you too, ok?” he requested. “I don’t know what I’d do with myself if something happened to you.”

“I know, I know.” she nodded.

“I really mean it.” he insisted. “I was so afraid when I first came here. All my old friends had stopped talking to me, and the whole criminal record really strained my relationship with my mom. But then I met the other Thieves… and I met you. I love you, Makoto.”

She beamed. “I love you too.”

She found a first aid kit that Sojiro kept downstairs, carefully bandaging him before helping him into comfier clothes.

Not having brought pajamas of her own, she simply changed into one of his shirts. I was a little big, but she didn’t mind.

“You look good in that.” he grinned.

“W-Well, it is very comfy…” she admitted.

She crawled into bed next to him, resting her head on his chest.

The sound of his heartbeat was soothing, in a way. It let her know that he was alive, and right beside her.

“Feeling better?” she asked.

“Yeah.” he admitted. “I’m really lucky to have you.”

She gave him another peck on the lips. “That’s good. Still, you should go and see the doctor tomorrow. And no Mementos for a few days, ok?”

“I know.” he replied. “Good night, Makoto.”

“Good night, Ren.”

Wrapped up in each other’s arms, the two Thieves shared one last kiss before drifting into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

She couldn't remember the last time she slept that well.

It took her a few moments to realize that she was not at her home, but at Leblanc.

And that her arms weren't wrapped around her cute and huggable Buchi-kun plush...

But around her cuter and even more huggable boyfriend.

“Ren… are you awake?” she whispered.

No response.

She tried to get up so that she could prepare some breakfast for him, but…

Ren was still holding her.

“Mmm… still sleepy, Mako…” he murmured in his sleep.

Well… yesterday had been a long day, so maybe it wouldn’t be too bad to sleep in, just for one day.

She promised that she was going to take care of him today, so if he wanted to cuddle with her all day, then that was fine with her.

Not that she didn’t enjoy being held in his arms, of course.

She nuzzled into his chest, and the sound of his heartbeat assured her that everything would be ok as she drifted back to sleep.


	5. Dreams Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a small warning. This chapter, as well as the next one, will contain HUGE SPOILERS for Persona 5 Royal! After these next few chapters, though, you won't have to worry about any more spoilers, so feel to skip this chapter and the next if you do not wish to be spoilers.

It all felt so surreal. They had changed Shido’s heart and taken out a malevolent God born of humanity’s distorted desires.

At first, he had thought that he would have to turn himself in to testify against Shido, but… things had worked out in that regard as well.

Akechi had turned out to be alive… and had turned himself into the police in his stead.

It was… better that way. The way that he thought Akechi had died… no one deserved to go out like that.

At least now, he could properly pay for his crimes.

The sound of his phone ringing distracted him from his thoughts.

“Is that you, Ren-kun?”

“Sae-san? Did Makoto give you this number?” he asked.

“She did. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that Akechi is in police custody now.” she told him.

“I see. I was honestly surprised to see him.” he admitted. “He really came out of nowhere…”

“I feel the same, although I suppose that it was for the best.” she agreed. “But enough about him. I… wanted to apologize to you.”

“Apologize?” he questioned. “What for?”

“It’s just… this entire time, I’ve always been causing you grief.” Sae muttered. “Even now, I was just asking you to turn yourself into the police…”

“Sae-san, I don’t blame you for that.” he insisted. “You didn’t have any malicious intent. You were just being honest. We needed to take down Shido, and as the leader, and someone who was personally wronged by him, it would make the most sense for me to testify. And I wasn’t going to let them go after the others.”

“You really are a selfless individual.” Sae praised.

“Ah, I don’t know about that…” he nervously chucked, still not quite used to praise coming from her.

“Well, I’m glad that everything seemed to work out for now.” Sae continued. “And could you… not mention this to Makoto?”

“Alright.” he promised. “I suppose there really isn’t any need to.”

“Thank you.” Sae said. “I’ll call you if anything comes up.”

“Ah, one more thing!” he quickly said.

“Yes?”

“Merry Christmas, Sae-san.” he said.

He heard a soft chuckle from her. “Merry Christmas, Ren-kun.”

He ended the call, smiling as he noticed a text from his favorite person in the world.

Makoto: Do you think we could walk around the city a bit… and then head back to your room?

Ren: I’d really like that.

Makoto: Thank you! I’m in Shibuya now. Let’s meet up at the station.

He eagerly made his way towards the station, happy to spend Christmas Eve with the girl he loved.

Thankfully, he didn’t need to wait long.

“Sorry about this…” Makoto said. “I know that today’s been very hectic, but… I really wanted to see you.”

“It’s ok.” he told her. “I wanted to spend time with you too.”

“Honestly…” she whispered. “You always seem to have your charm on.”

“Well, I really did want to spend time with you.” he confessed. “I mean, Christmas is about spending time with the people you love.”

He kissed her on the cheek, smirking as he saw her rapidly reddening face.

“I-It’s about time for dinner, s-so maybe we could find somewhere to eat?” she stammered.

“I’d love that.” he beamed.

“O-Ok.” Makoto nodded. “Then let’s go.”

As he started walking off, however, he noticed Makoto trailing behind him.

“Makoto? Is something wrong?”

“U-Um, well… It is a cold Christmas Eve…” she trailed off. “...Maybe we could hold hands?”

He gave a light laugh.

“W-What?” she stammered.

“You’re so cute, Mako.” he teased.

“C-Come on now!” she stuttered. “Don’t think I’ll let you off the hook with all this teasing! I’ll get you back!”

Despite her words, she had a bashful smile on her face when he held her hand, leading her away…

* * *

In the end, while they didn’t manage to get dinner, they had snagged two slices of Christmas Cake for themselves.

So instead of eating at a restaurant, he opted to make some curry for the two of them, followed by the two of them enjoying their cake, and some coffee, upstairs in the attic.

“You made my favorite!” she beamed after sipping from her coffee.

“Of course. Today’s a special day, after all.” he replied.

“The cake is really good too.” she said.

“We didn’t get to eat at a nice restaurant, but I’m just glad that I got to spend time with you.” he admitted.

“Thank you… I feel the same way.” Makoto agreed. “And Leblanc has sort of become a second home for me.”

He nodded, knowing exactly what she meant.

“Oh, before I forget, I got you a present.” Makoto said.

His eyes widened. “Damn… Makoto, I’m sorry, I completely forgot-”

“It’s ok, Ren.” she insisted. “With how hectic everything’s been, I don’t blame you at all.”

“Still…” he trailed off. “I’ll make it up for you one day, ok?”

She shook her head. “There’s nothing to make up. Here.”

She handed him a nice looking wristwatch.

“I know that you’re always trying to be organized, even with your hectic schedule, so I thought this might help… in case we lose track of time together.”

“Thank you. I’ll take good care of it.” he promised.

“It’s not really anything fancy…”

“But it’s a gift from you.” Ren pointed out. “That’s what makes it special.”

Her face started to redden again as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I’m glad you like it.” she whispered, blushing, before glancing up at him. “Oh wait, don’t move, Ren.”

A hint of mischief in her smile, she let out a small giggle before scooping up some frosting on his nose with her finger, placing it in her mouth.

“How did that even get there?” she laughed.

He could feel the heat rising to his face as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck while she continued to laugh.

“I, um… ah… how’s the frosting?” he asked.

“What kind of question is that?!” he thought, mentally kicking himself.

“It’s very sweet…” she trailed off before inching closer to him.

“But not as sweet as my boyfriend.” she whispered, bringing him into a kiss.

“Y-You… you’re getting a lot better at teasing me.” he stammered.

“I had a good study partner.” she laughed.

She leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

“I haven’t had this much fun during Christmas in years.” Makoto beamed. “Being with you has made me see so much more joy in life. I… want to thank you. For spending Christmas with me. For… loving me.”

“I always will, Mako.” he whispered, wrapping his arm around her and kissing her temple. “I… I want to be with you. Forever.”

“Ren…” she smiled, her eyes beginning to water.

She brought him into a hug, tears starting to flow down her face.

“I love you.” she expressed. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” he told her, before turning his attention towards his window. “Makoto, look.”

She glanced towards the window, seeing the snow falling outside. “It’s beautiful…”

“Yeah… it’s a really nice view.” he agreed.

“This almost doesn’t feel real…” Makoto murmured.

“Yeah… I know what you mean.” he nodded. “I can’t remember being this happy during Christmas for a long time either.”

“Really?” she asked.

“It wasn’t bad, really. We never really had a lot of money for gifts or nice food, but spending time with Mom was enough.” he smiled, fondly remembering his time with her. “And since I was on break from school, I’d also spend lots of time with friends…”

He let out a sigh, thinking back to his childhood.

“Ren?”

He shook his head. “Sorry, I must have gotten lost in thought.”

“About what?” she asked.

“It’s… nothing…” he lied.

“Ren, tell me.” she urged.

“I don’t want to ruin the mood.”

She cupped his cheek, a gentle and passionate expression on her face.

“It’s ok, Ren. I want to help you if you can.”

He took a deep breath, giving a small smile.

“I know that my life here is pretty great, but… sometimes I wish that things had been different.” he confessed.

“Different how?” she wondered.

“It’s just… it was always hard for my mother and I.” he recalled. “I wish dad hadn’t left us. And… that when I got my record, I wish all my old friends hadn’t stopped talking to me. That people would stop spreading rumors about me…”

She shifted her position, snuggling closer to him.

“It’s perfectly fine that you feel that way, Ren.” she assured him.

“But I really am happy right now.” he stressed. “It’s just that I can’t help but want more, and that makes me feel selfish…”

“Ren, it’s not selfish to want people to want people to understand that you didn’t do anything wrong.” she emphasized. “And… it’s not selfish to want to have a father.”

“Makoto…” he frowned. “I’m so sorry.”

“Every day, I wish he was still here.” she whimpered. “I wish you could have met him.”

“From what you’ve told me, he really sounds like a great man.” he said.

“Yeah… he was…” she whispered.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the snow fall.

“It’s really coming down hard…” he commented.

“Yeah… no doubt the trains won’t be able to run tonight.” Makoto pointed out. “It looks like we’re…”

“Snowed in.” Ren finished, a smirk on his face.

“I guess I’ll have to stay the night.” she cooed, a coy smile on her face.

“It’ll get pretty cold in here.”

“Then stay close to me.” she whispered.

They shared a long deep kiss under the sheets, and spent a romantic night together...


	6. Dream Part 2

“Ren… Ren… wake up, Ren…”

His eyes fluttered open, light shimmering down on him from his now open blinds.

“Honestly, I know it’s your winter break, but you shouldn’t be sleeping so long.”

He shot up from bed, recognizing the voice immediately.

“Mom?!”

“Goodness, what’s wrong, dear!” his mother exclaimed.

“W-What are you doing here in Tokyo?!” he stammered.

“Are you feeling alright, dear?” his mother asked, concerned. “We’ve lived in Tokyo for a long time. Ever since your dad got a job here.”

“W-What?!”

He quickly ran out of his room, seeing someone he never thought he’d see again.

“Heh, it’s about time you woke up.”

He had never seen his father outside of photos before, so seeing him now…

“I… I… um…”

“Ren, are you sure you’re feeling alright.” his mom asked, following after him.

“Something wrong?” his dad asked.

He wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but he knew he needed to remain calm.

“Sorry, I guess I’m just feeling a little off right now.” he excused.

“Must be hard trying to get back into a routine.” his mother laughed. “You must be so used to winter break.”

“Heh, that’s right, your break is almost over, isn’t it.” his father recalled. “You know, the three of us should go out together. Spend some quality family time together.”

“That sounds wonderful!” his mother beamed. “We’re both very proud of your grades, dear. We should definitely celebrate!”

“Y-Yeah, of course.” he stuttered, finding something quick to eat for breakfast before making a beeline to the front door.

“Oh, are you heading out, Ren?” his mother asked.

“Just wanted to take a walk.” he excused, quickly heading outside.

He took a deep breath as he looked over his surroundings.

“This… definitely isn’t my hometown.” he muttered.

Sure enough, he was still in Tokyo.

He brought out his phone, hoping to contact his friends, seeing that he already had several messages.

“Hey, man, how’s it going?”

“We should hang out sometime.”

“Hey dude, let’s talk.”

They weren't anyone from Tokyo. They were… friends from his hometown. Well, former friends… they had stopped talking to him after his assault charge, none of them believing his side of the story.

So why did they want to speak to him now?

“This has to be some sort of dream, right?” he wondered.

As he continued walking through the neighborhood, he noticed a few Shujin students shopping in a nearby store.

He sighed when they saw them, bracing himself the rumors they would spread.

But they never came… Instead…

“That’s the transfer student, isn’t it?”

“Isn’t he sooooo handsome?”

“He’s really smart too! Doesn’t he have the best exam scores in his grade?”

“Niijima-sempai is soooo lucky…”

They were… complimenting him?

But why…?

Quality family time.

And the acknowledgment of his peers.

Those were things that he had wanted for so long.

So why did it feel so strange? So… wrong?

* * *

For the next few days, he continued living in this new reality.

A new reality… yes that was what it was. A reality created by Maruki, filled with everyone’s desires.

“I should have never let him lure me in with those snacks…” Ren muttered.

Maruki had told him that his friends were enjoying this new reality.

So he had been checking up on them one by one. Like him, they seemed to be really happy, but they also seemed to be beginning to realize that something was very wrong.

It was an odd feeling. It felt nice, but also unnerving.

He had already talked with most of his friends, which only left Makoto…

Quickly scarfing down his breakfast, he once again rushed to the front door, only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey, Ren, are you feeling ok?”

“I’m fine dad.” he lied. “I’m really fine.”

“Are you sure?” his father asked, frowning. “Your mother was really concerned about you.” his father mentioned. “She was saying that you were acting strange recently.”

“Really, I’m fine.” he insisted. “It's nothing.”

“...You know that you can talk about anything to us.” his father assured him. “If something’s wrong, just tell us. We love you, and we want you to be happy.”

“I-I know.” he stammered, taking a shaky breath. “I know. I just need some fresh air.”

He rushed outside, running as far away as he could, not caring about his destination.

Eventually, he found a bench to rest on, and rest his weary legs.

“Hey, that’s Ren-kun, isn’t it?”

“He’s so kind! He let me copy his notes one time!”

They all liked him now…

In this world, his family was together, and he didn’t have a criminal record.

He didn’t have a record.

The various implications of that had dawned on him over the past week.

It would be much easier for him to get into a good college. To get a good job.

They had fought so hard for a society that was fair and just. And it seemed that this world was just that.

But could just one person decide that? Could one persona really handle that by himself?

But at the same time, the others did look happy. And who was he to deny them their happiness?

And as much as he didn’t want to admit it… he was happy too.

He wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. No more probation, no more abuse, no more drugged up interrogations, no more assassination attempts…

And if Maruki could bring people back from the dead… did that mean Akechi was really dead?

The only reason he had managed to escape jail time was because Akechi had turned himself in in his stead.

If Akechi really had died… then he would have to turn himself in to testify against Shido.

And he’d be in jail for violating his probation. And even if he somehow got out of that, he'd be leaving Tokyo soon.

Would his new friends leave him too if he left Tokyo? If he went to jail? Would they brand him a criminal too?!

Would they abandon him like everyone else…?

“Ren, is that you?”

He glanced upwards, finding the Niijima sisters glancing back at him.

“Oh, Ren, what a coincidence!” Makoto smiled. “We were just doing a bit of shopping.”

Her face practically started glowing, her voice filled with excitement.

“But soon, we’re going to celebrate our dad receiving the superintendent general award!”

Her father…

She seemed so happy speaking about him...

“Your father, huh…?” he muttered.

Sae gave a soft chuckle. “Come on, Makoto, you don’t need to raise your voice over it. Dad told you earlier to just act like it’s no big deal.”

“I-I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it…” Makoto apologized, flushed from embarrassment.

“You must be really proud of him, huh?” he commented.

“Yes, I am.” she nodded. “It’s as if he’s finally getting the recognition that he deserves.”

“I know. I feel the same way.” Sae agreed. “So, what groceries should we pick up?”

“Getting groceries?” he asked.

“We were planning on having a nice dinner to celebrate.” Sae explained.

“I just wonder what Dad would like me to cook…” Makoto trailed off. “I made eggplant miso soup for your birthday, Sis…”

“Right, and you had fried mackerel for your birthday.” Sae replied. “I remember you wouldn’t stop pestering father about it until he made it for you.”

“H-Hey!” Makoto stammered. “I didn’t pester him, sis! He asked me what I wanted to eat for my birthday!”

“Fried mackerel…” he mused. “I should remember that.”

Both of them started laughing a little.

“What about you, Ren-kun?” Sae asked. “Do you have any ideas for Makoto?”

“Well, he’s a cop, sooo… maybe you could make him some of those donuts, like the ones you made at the school festival.” he suggested.

“Oh, is that what those were for?” Sae asked, an amused look on her face. “I was wondering why you were up so late making those. Didn’t you say they were for ‘a special someone’?”

“S-Sis!” Makoto exclaimed. “Stop teasing me!”

After taking a few moments to compose herself, she turned towards Ren again.

“Actually, I just had an idea.” she said, a bashful smile on her face. “Ren, would you like to join us for dinner tonight?”

“Do you want me to help with groceries?” he asked.

“O-Oh, right… I still don’t know what we’re going to have…”

“Well, look at you, Little Miss Outgoing!” Sae grinned. “You’re really inviting him over for dinner?”

“W-Well, dad hasn’t met my boyfriend yet.” Makoto whispered.

“Hmm… That’s right, I’ve never met him.” he noted. “I’ve been over to dinner before, but I haven’t met him.”

“That… is strange…” she muttered, the gears in her head beginning to turn.

He bit his lip, knowing how crushed she would be when she realized that this was all a lie...

That the loving family that spent so much quality time with the past week… was all a lie.

When she remembered what her family situation really was…

But… as much as it broke her heart to see her in pain, he knew that Makoto wouldn’t want anyone else making this decision for her. He respected her too much to not let her choose whether she wanted to live in this world or the real one.

But she still needed a little push…

“Hmm… that is very strange, now that I think about it.” Sae muttered.

Would she realize it too…?

“Well, if the offer is still open, I’d love to come over for dinner.” he said.

“O-Oh… good.” Makoto responded. “I’ll see you then.”

* * *

He had made sure to dress up nicely for the occasion, even spending an hour trying to fix his hair, to no avail.

Even in a ‘perfect’ world, some things just weren't possible, he supposed.

He made his way to Makoto’s apartment, feeling a little anxious on the way.

Not just because he was worried about Makoto, but also because he wanted to make a good impression on her father.

He tried to calm himself down when he saw her waiting for him at the door to her apartment.

“Oh, there you are, Ren.” she said, giving him a small wave.

He grinned before giving her a peck on the cheek.

“R-Ren!” Makoto hissed. “Dad’s right inside.”

“Sorry, sorry.” he laughed. “I’m just really happy to see you. And to meet your family.”

“I know. I’m happy too.” Makoto nodded. “And Dad’s in a good mood because of his promotion, so this won’t be so bad.

He let out a dramatic sigh.

“Man, I hope not. This’ll be the _third_ Niijima interrogation I go through.” he joked. “This can’t be good for my heart.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll try to keep him and sis in line.” she giggled.

She placed her hand on the doorknob, but paused before opening the door.

“Wait… three interrogations…?”

“Yeah. You at school, and Sae during… well, you remember, don’t you?”

“I…” Makoto trailed off, clutching her head. “There was… a casino? And… a treasure? Dad’s… journal… Dad-”

“Princess… are you coming back in?”

A voice he didn’t recognize called from inside the apartment.

But he figured that it had to be.

“I-In a second, Dad!” Makoto called.

“Princess, huh?” he smirked.

“Hush!”

She opened the door just a tad, poking her head into the apartment.

“Um… dad? There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

“Oh? Did you bring over a friend?”

“Well… actually…” she trailed off, opening the door completely so he could step inside. “This is my boyfriend.”

“I’m Ren Amamiya, sir.” he greeted. “Makoto’s told me a lot about you.”

Makoto’s father had a surprised look on his face, before looking him over, sizing him up.

He was a police officer, after all.

He had short, silver hair, and intense red eyes.

“A bit unkempt, isn’t he?” the man muttered.

“I told you to fix your hair.” Makoto whispered.

“I tried. It didn’t work.” he whispered back.

“Well, it’s good to meet you.” the older man greeted. “Makoto made chikuzenni, so please, take a seat.”

He sat down, watching Makoto serve everyone their chikuzenni before sitting down next to him.

He took a bite out of his meal, giving a satisfied hum as the taste.

“This is really good, Makoto!” he praised.

“Thank you.” she nodded. “I was hoping that you’d enjoy it.”

“So, Ren Amamiya… how long have you and my daughter been together?” the officer asked.

Well, there was no way he was getting away with lying to a police officer, let alone a Niijima, but he wasn’t exactly looking forward to his response…

“We’ve been dating for about half a year, sir.” he answered honestly.

“Oh, really.” the man responded. “And I’m only just finding out about this now?”

“W-Well…” Makoto muttered.

“They had already told me.” Sae brought up.

“How did the two of you start dating, anyway?” the officer asked.

He glanced to the side, seeing Makoto clutching her head again.

Again, she must have been remembering the circumstances that led to them getting together.

...And how those memories conflicted with this current reality.

“Urgh…” she groaned.

He quickly rose from his seat, as did her father.

“Princess, what’s wrong?!”

“Queen, are you ok?!”

“I-I’m fine, really!” Makoto insisted. “You don’t need to worry.”

“Well, if you’re sure.” her father sighed, before shooting an intense glare his way.

“W-What’s wrong, sir?” he asked.

“What did you just call my daughter?” the officer asked, his tone cold as ice.

He resisted the urge to gulp as he felt his intense crimson glare pierce his body.

At least now he knew who Makoto and Sae got their signature glare from…

“Um… excuse me…?”

“I asked you… what did you just call my daughter?!”

He could practically feel the rage coming off of the older man.

If he didn’t choose his words carefully, he might find himself on the receiving end of a Fist of Justice.

Before he could say anything however, he heard a sigh from across the table.

“Isn’t that enough, father?” Sae said, rolling her eyes.

Immediately, the older man’s demeanor completely changed.

“Hahahaha!” the officer laughed. “Aw, come on, Sae. I was just having a little fun!”

“He’s… laughing?” Ren thought to himself.

“Sorry about him, Ren-kun.” Sae apologized. “He was always joking about terrorizing the first boyfriend one of us brought home.”

“Hahaha… to be honest, Sae told me quite a lot about you and the rest of Makoto’s friends.” the older man explained. “I hear that you have the top exam scores in your grade.”

“Yeah, that’s right.” he nodded. “Makoto and I study all the time.”

“She also mentioned that you wanted to get into politics.” the older man mentioned. “Why is that?”

“Well… I’ve seen a lot of injustice, and even been a victim of it myself.” he answered. “So, I was hoping that by holding office, I might be able to bring about change, so that more people can get the help that they need.”

Makoto’s father looked him over, presumably looking for any falsehoods in his reasoning.

After a few seconds, the man’s lips curled into a smile.

“I like that look in your eye. It reminds me of myself when I was your age.” the man commented. “The world needs more honest people like you in positions of power.”

“Thank you, sir.” he expressed.

While he was glad to have earned his approval, there was another reason he had come here.

“I'm sure you’ve had to work on a lot of different cases yourself.” he brought up.

“Well, I might have a few stories.”

“I remember when I first came to Tokyo, a lot of people were talking about drug gangs. It’s been something I’ve been concerned about.”

“Hmm… yeah, I’ve definitely been dealing with a lot of that myself.” Makoto’s father muttered.

He sneaked a glance towards Makoto, who was clutching her head again.

As she listened to her father speak about his cases, he could see her getting closer and closer to remembering, until…

“Oh my God.” Makoto whispered, before covering her mouth.

“Hmm? Something wrong?” her father asked.

“I… I’m not feeling very well.” Makoto excused. “I think I’m going to rest in my room.”

“I’m not feeling well either.” Sae muttered, shaking her head. “I think I’ll get some rest myself.”

Could Sae know too…?

“I wonder what’s with them?” the officer wondered. “I should check up on them. I suppose I’ll have to cut this conversation short.

“That’s alright.” Ren responded. “Thank you for having me.”

“Hold on… one more thing.” the older man said.

“What did you need, sir?” Ren asked.

“What exactly… are your intentions with my daughter?” Makoto’s father coldly asked.

“W-What?!” he stammered.

Again, he found himself on the receiving end of the chilling Niijima Death Glare.

...Thankfully, Makoto’s father could only hold it for a few seconds before laughing again.

“Hahahahaha!” the man chuckled, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m only joking. I trust Makoto. She’s… a lot more grown up than I remember.”

“She’s very responsible.” he smiled.

“She’s told me a lot about your little group of friends.” the man recalled. “I’m glad she’s got some good friends now. But, as a father, I can’t help but worry about her. She’s a strong girl, but we could all use someone to watch our back. So, can I ask you to be there for her?”

“I will!” he promised. “No matter what, I’ll be there to help and support her, just as she does for me!”

He watched as Makoto’s father studied his expression before once again letting out a smile.

“Thank you.” the officer said, offering his hand. “Make her happy, ok?”

“I promise.” he nodded, shaking the man’s hand before heading out the door.

“I’ll be waiting for you, Makoto…” he mused, knowing that she was now fully aware of the situation.

* * *

Her father was dead…

Or, at least, he was in the real world.

But this was a different reality.

Sae seemed to have noticed something was wrong as well, as she had been acting differently lately.

Or was it that she was acting differently before? She desperately wanted to have a healthy relationship with her family, but not at the cost of her sister’s freedom…

Freedom…

She had joined the Phantom Thieves so that she could pursue her own justice, while being free from the manipulation of authority figures.

But once again, she found herself having all of her decisions made for her by someone else.

But this time, she could feel her spirit of rebellion wavering...

“What should I do…?” she muttered to herself.

“Something wrong, Makoto?”

She glanced to the side, seeing her father sit beside her.

“You’ve been acting strange lately.” the older man commenced. “I was getting a little worried.”

“Sorry.” she muttered. “I’ve just… been doing some thinking?”

“About what?”

“Well…”

It wasn’t like she could tell him the truth. He would think she was crazy!

“Dad… if you had a way to get everything you wanted and be happy, but the way of getting it went against everything you believed in… would you do it?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“H-Huh?!” she stammered. “You didn’t even think about it at all.”

“I didn’t have to.” the man responded. “My sense of justice means too much to me. If I gave that up to be happy, well… then I wouldn’t be happy.”

It seemed like an odd statement at first, but the more she thought about it, the more it started to make sense.

“I think I understand, dad.” she finally said. “I… definitely agree.”

“It sounds like you’re going through something serious.” her father said. “Just remember, you can always talk to me. I’ll always be watching after you.”

“...I know.” she whispered, struggling to hold back tears as she hugged her father. “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, princess.”

She knew what she needed to do now.

But for now… she would savor the feeling of her father’s embrace.

One last time…

* * *

It had been several days since he had visited for dinner. The others had all shown up to help him against Maruki. All that was really left was to make some last minute preparations and send the calling card.

Today, however, Makoto had called him, wanting to speak with him in the privacy of her room.

They sat down on the bed together, and for a moment, she didn’t say a word, so he simply looked around the room while she composed herself.

“I’m sorry for calling you over so suddenly.” she apologized.

“It’s alright.” he assured her. “You know, this room is very… you.”

“Is that… a good thing?” she asked hesitantly.

“Well, I love you, so yeah.” he grinned, satisfied with her rapidly blushing face. “I love my neat, organized, and panda-obsessed Queen.”

“T-There’s not that many pandas!” she defended.

He simply gave a light chuckle.

After he had successfully lightened the mood, he was glad to see that she seemed much more comfortable.

“I just really needed to talk to you about something.” she began.

“What about?” he asked.

“I… wanted to apologize.” she answered honestly. “I wasn’t there for you when you needed me the most.”

“Makoto, that’s not-”

“It’s true, Ren!” she interrupted. “We’re supposed to be equals, but I couldn’t be there for you. You’ve saved me countless times, but I was stuck in Dr. Maruki’s false reality. I forgot our vow… I threw everything away, just to be with Sis and Father. I was so weak and self-centered.”

“Makoto… there’s nothing weak about wanting to be with your family.” he insisted. “We’re all like that. Dr. Maruki… he’s done the same to me.”

“He did?!” she gasped.

“I told you about my father, right?” he asked. “About how he left me and my mom?”

She nodded.

“Dr. Maruki… brought him back.” he told her. “My father, my former friends… and he gave us all a home here, because… I… I don’t want to leave Tokyo. I don’t want to leave you.”

“Oh, Ren…” she whispered.

“There are times when… I’m so afraid. Afraid that I’ll get abandoned again…”

“I’m so sorry!” she cried, quickly hugging him. “I… I already abandoned you!”

“No, Mako, that’s not what I’m saying.” he assured her. “It wasn’t your fault. What I’m saying is that I was tempted too…”

“You were?” she gasped.

“I was.” he admitted. “I don’t know if it’s my idea of a father figure, or Dr. Maruki’s, but… it makes me feel happy. And here… my friends will always be with me. And the Shujin students… they actually respect me, Makoto. The rumors have finally stopped. And… I don’t know, it feels like I’ve earned it, but haven’t earned it at the same time.”

“You’re conflicted.” she summarized.

“Yeah…” he muttered.

“I talked to my father the other day.” she whispered. “And he said something that really made me think.”

“What did he say?”

“He told me that his sense of justice was important to him. And if he had to give that up, then he wouldn’t be happy.”

That made a lot of sense to him. He wanted to fight for his sense of justice and have the freedom to do so.

For so long, he had felt chained down. A prisoner. And this was no different.

“I think I understand.” he nodded. “Our dreams are to change this country for the better. Me, as a politician, and you as a police commissioner. But in a world like this… in a world where everything is ‘perfect’…”

“There’s no point in pursuing our dreams.” Makoto finished. “And therein lies the paradox of this ‘perfect’ reality. Maruki wants us to be free of suffering so that we may pursue our dreams, but it was through our suffering, and the desire to ease other people’s suffering, that allowed us to pursue our dreams in the first place.”

“And there’s no doubt that there are countless other people whose dreams conflict with Maruki’s idea of a world free of suffering.” he added. “Or conflict with other people’s dreams. Still… it seems kinda… selfish for me to make this decision? This affects everyone, not just us.”

“But the others all agree as well.” she told him. “We all came rushing to the palace, not just to save you and Sumire, but also because we didn’t want to keep running from the truth.”

“But isn’t that still selfish. There’s only ten of us.”

“But couldn’t the same be said for Dr. Maruki?” Makoto pointed out. “He’s just one person making decisions for everyone. I’m sure there’s plenty of people who don’t want this, but he’s not giving them a choice.”

“That’s true.” he agreed. “And… while it’s true that I’ve suffered… if I had never gone on probation… I would have never come to Tokyo. I would have never met you or the others.”

“And if I had never been so lonely… gotten taken advantage of… I would have never joined you or the others…” she said.

“In this world, none of us can grow.” she continued. “You’ve taught me so much, Ren. I want to continue to live and experience life with you, the good and the bad. I've also grown a lot thanks to you. It was… so hard at times, but we got through everything so far.”

“Yeah… I don’t think I would have made it without you.” he confessed.

“We’re a team, Ren.” Makoto stated. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He glanced downwards, biting his lip.

“Ren… there’s something else, isn’t there?”

“Before all of this… Sae told me that they needed someone to testify against Shido. But to do this, I would need to turn myself into the police. To protect the rest of you. But, that’s when Akechi showed up and offered to take my place.”

“He really did that?!” she gasped.

He nodded. “Yeah. But the thing is, Dr. Maruki can bring people back from the dead. If he brought Akechi back… then once we go back to the real world…”

“Oh, God…” she whispered, realizing what he was alluding to.

“I… I don’t want to go to jail.” he muttered “I just want all the pain to stop already.”

She tightened her hug, gently soothing him.

“I had no idea…” she whispered. “I can’t imagine how hard this is for you.”

“I’ll be ok…” he whispered. “I have you.”

“But…”

“Makoto.” he cut her off. “You’ve always been there for when I needed support. You helped with the plan for the interrogation. I wouldn’t even be alive if it weren’t for you! Yeah, this time, I had to be there for. But you’ve been there for me countless times as well.”

“Even still… I want to become stronger. To be someone you can rely on. And for my own reasons as well.” she said. “I… feel like I’ve been relying on Sis and Father for so long. I was so weak and lonely before… and as much as it hurt, it was through my struggles that I realized this.”

She took a deep breath before continuing. “If Dr Maruki had done this just a few months earlier, then I’d probably be letting everyone make my decisions for me. I wouldn’t have realized my dream of being a police commissioner. My father would be alive, and I’d be happy… but I wouldn’t have realized my true potential.”

“I understand.” he nodded. “I think you’re plenty strong already, but I’ll still support you no matter what. And I know that you want to be independent, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. I know that when I was at my lowest, you told me I wasn’t weak for needing your help.”

“That’s true.” she said. “But there’s something I want you to know.”

She placed a soft kiss at his forehead.

“No matter what kind of reality we live in, I will never abandon you. Because I love you, and nothing will ever change that.”

“I love you too.” he expressed. “Thanks for speaking to me. I was still having doubts about… going against Dr. Maruki. But now I know it’s the right thing to do.”

“Are you sure?” she wondered. “If anyone had a reason to embrace this reality, it would be you.”

“Maybe, but… even if I want to be happy… I want you to be happy too. I want all of our friends to be happy too.”

“But afterwards, you might have to turn yourself in…”

“I’ll be ok.” he grinned. “I’ve got the future Police Commissioner on my side.”

Instantly, her expression was filled with determination.

“I won’t stop fighting until you’re free!” she promised. “I will never abandon you. This time, you can rely on me!”

As soon as she said that, she let out a small gasp, and stood still for a few moments.

“Makoto?”

“Agnes…”

“Huh?”

“My persona just changed again.” she explained.

“Sounds like you’ve just gotten stronger.” he grinned. “So…”

“So…?”

“Can you…?”

She rolled her eyes, an amused look on her face.

“Yes, Ren, I can ride this one!”

“Yes!” he grinned. “Think you could give me a ride?”

“Well, I’d be lying if I wasn’t excited as well.” she laughed. “And the added power will no doubt be helpful in the palace.”

“I’ll be counting on my trusted advisor to get us through safely.” he said.

“I won’t let you down.” she said. “And, um…”

“Yeah…?”

“I don’t mean to take up so much of your time but… maybe you could stay a little longer?” she requested.

He answered her with a kiss, both of them gently falling onto the bed...

* * *

This was it. The final battle.

Everything had led up to this moment.

She had hoped that they could convince Dr. Maruki to end this peacefully, but in the end, they were forced to fight.

All the other members of the Phantom Thieves had chosen to fight, as did Sumire.

Even Akechi, who might cease to exist if they ended this false reality, was fighting hard.

She fired nuclear blasts again and again, desperately trying to keep everyone alive with her healing and defense increasing abilities.

As Maruki unleashed the full power of his persona against them, she watched as his fell on her.

Bracing herself for an attack, she was surprised to see the look of sadness on his face.

“Niijima-san! Everyone has the right to wish for a happy family. You don’t need to keep holding back your desires.” Maruki pleaded.

No. She didn’t. She didn’t need to hold her feelings back. To bottle them inside like she had done for so long.

She wanted a happy family. She would have a happy family.

But...

“I’ll fulfill my desire for a happy family with my own power.” she said with determination.

She would achieve it herself, and not rely on others to give it to her.

He seemed taken aback by her statement, leaving the perfect opening.

“Checkmate!” she shouted, using Anges’ strongest ability to weaken Maruki and his persona, allowing the others to finish it off!

* * *

He couldn’t stop now. He grappled up to Adam Kadmon’s head, all of his friends blocking its fist so that he could land the finishing blow.

Before he could finish the job, however…

“Stop!”

He heard a voice.

“Why are you doing this, Ren-kun?! You have a father that cares about you! You have peers that respect you! Isn’t this what you wanted?!” Maruki shouted.

“...They only feel that way because you made them feel that way.” he pointed out. “It won’t erase what they really felt about me. I took down a God in order to protect everyone’s freedom, even the people who hate me, or want nothing to do with me. And… that’s what I want. To be free. For all innocent people to be free, and not be taken advantage of, or their opportunities taken from them. And I feel that way because I’ve suffered! Because I’ve been taken advantage of! Because I’ve felt chained down and like a prisoner in life.”

“But I can fix that!” Maruki desperately pleaded.

“No. I will fix that… and keep looking towards the future.” he said. “Accepting this reality… would just be exchanging one prison for another.”

He raised his gun…

“Checkmate.”

And fired.

And with that, Adam Kadmon disappeared.

As did the false reality...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, everyone! I hope you enjoyed, and let me know what you think if you want!


	7. Valentine's

Alone…

He felt so alone...

And in yet another prison.

Had he made the right decision?

He shook his head.

“Of course I have.” he assured himself. “I’ll get through this.”

He had to turn himself into the police in order to testify against Shido.

They had immediately placed him in solitary confinement.

It had been very disturbing at first, and he still felt like the walls were slowly closing in on him, but he knew he needed to keep a cool head.

He had to believe that his friends were fighting right now for his release.

He let out a small smile.

It… was nice to be able to rely on someone.

* * *

“Why?! Why did you do this to him?!”

She flinched under her sister’s words, and the pain in her voice.

“Makoto, I-”

“Why, sis?! Hasn't he already suffered enough?!” Makoto yelled, tears streaming down her face. “Why did you ask him to turn himself in?!”

“Makoto, even with Shido’s confession, he still has many powerful connections.” Sae calmly explained. “Connections that wouldn’t want people to be supporting the Phantom Thieves. And we needed someone to testify against Shido.”

“So you’re just going to sacrifice Ren to appease them?!”

“Makoto, some of these people are dangerous.” Sae continued. “They could come after all of the others, and their families.”

“But… but… there had to have been another way!” Makoto explained.

“I’m sorry, Makoto.” she whispered. “But this had to be done. You know what kind of person he is. He would do anything to protect you and his friends.”

“It’s… not fair.” she whimpered. “It’s not fair…”

It hurt to see her little sister like this.

She hadn’t seen her this broken up about something since the passing of their father.

“I know.” Sae agreed. “But I promise that I’ll do everything I can to help him.”

“Y-Yeah…” Makoto replied. “I-I’ll help too. Everyone will help. If all of us work together, then we’ll save him! I know it!”

“Alright, just take care of yourself, ok?” the elder Niijima requested.

She knew Ren had surrounded himself with plenty of powerful allies, both inside and outside of the Phantom Thieves who all really cared about him.

And, admittedly, she would be lying if she said she didn’t care about him herself.

She only hoped that their efforts would be enough to free him from prison

* * *

It hadn't been long before he had someone visit him. Only a few days, really.

Or, at least he thought it was a few days. It was hard to tell when he spent all his time in a small, dark, cell.

He was escorted to the visiting area, a glass screen separating him from the person who came to see him.

“Sae-san?”

“Long time no see.” Sae responded. “The last time we met was on Christmas Eve, wasn’t it?”

Right… she wouldn’t remember what had happened since then.

“Wait…”

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“It’s nothing.” she said, shaking her head. “I came here because I have two great pieces of news to share with you.”

“I could definitely use some good news about now.” he chuckled.

“Well, first of all, Shido will very likely be found guilty of his crimes.” Sae smiled. “It’ll be hard to prove the existence of the Metaverse, but he did admit to all of his crimes.”

“Thank goddess.” he replied, breathing a sigh of relief. “I was worried for a second that he might still get away with this.”

“Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to ensure that faces justice for all of his crimes.” Sae promised. “But for now, I should get into my second piece of good news.”

“What else is there?” he wondered.

“As of today, you’re free to leave.” she replied, a smile on her face.

“What?! Really?!” he gasped.

“That’s right.” Sae nodded. “Thankfully, prosecuting Shido allowed us to clear your name as well when the truth of what happened that night came to light.”

“Then…” he trailed off. “That means… not only am I free, but…”

“Your record has been completely cleared. Congratulations.” she finished.

“That’s… that’s incredible!” he exclaimed. “Sae-san, I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done.”

“Thanks, but I honestly feel like I should be thanking you.” Sae pointed out. “You were the one who helped me rediscover my justice. And with my sense of justice guiding me, I was able to help you.”

“Still, I’m really thankful.” he expressed.

“And I’m grateful that you were willing to do this.” Sae responded. “I know this must have been hard for you.”

“It was… but I needed to protect the others.” Ren said.

“I know.” Sae nodded. “You really are a selfless person. I’m glad that everything worked out for you. Your situation actually got me thinking…”

“About what?”

“When I first became a prosecutor, I did so in the hopes of reforming the system.” Sae explained. “But now, I was considering changing careers. I wanted to become a defense attorney. I want to protect people like you. People who don’t have anyone else in their corner.”

“I’m sure you’d be great at it!” he complimented.

“I plan to be.” she said. “Now then, I’ll have to submit the paperwork for your release. I’ll see you later.”

He watched her leave with a smile on his face.

He was finally free.

* * *

He hummed to himself, happily washing dishes, back at Leblanc where he belonged.

“Heh, you seem like you’re in a good mood.” Sojiro chucked. “You got something exciting planned today?”

As soon as he said that, the front door to Leblanc opened.

“Good evening.” Makoto greeted. “I’m sorry for barging in like this.”

Sojiro raised an eyebrow before his eyes fell on the calendar, seeing it was Valentine’s Day.

“Ahh, I see now.” Sojiro realized. “Heh, you should have just told me. I’ll leave the shop to you then. Enjoy yourselves.”

Sojiro left, leaving the two of them alone.

“It’s good to see you.” he beamed. “Coffee?”

“That would be lovely, thank you.” she smiled, sitting down at one of the booths.

He made sure to brew her favorite coffee for her, as well as some for himself, before sitting at the booth next to her.

“It was really considerate of Boss to leave Leblanc to the two of us.” Makoto said.

“He’s just a really big softie.” he chuckled.

“Oh really?” she smirked. “I wonder how he would feel if I told him you said that?”

“H-Hey, come one now!”

She let out a laugh before her expression turned more serious.

He supposed they would need to address the elephant in the room sooner or later.

“Welcome home, Ren.” Makoto whispered. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” he replied.

“I was so afraid.” she continued. “You had completely disappeared. And then I found out that you really did turn yourself in.”

“I’m so sorry, Makoto…” he said, guilt evident on his face.

She reached out, cupping his cheek. “I forgive you. I understand what needed to be done. And I can’t imagine how awful it must have been for you in prison.”

“It was rough.” he admitted. “But whenever I started losing hope, I reminded myself that you guys were out there fighting for me. And that’s what kept me going.”

“I’m so glad that I could help you. In the future, I want you to know that you don’t need to shoulder all of the burden on your shoulders. I want to support you when you’re hurting, as your girlfriend, as your equal, and as your-”

“Study partner?” he grinned.

“Yes.” she smiled back. “As your study partner too.”

“I know that I’m not the best at opening up to people.” he admitted. “This is… really new to me. I’ve never really had too many people to confide to in my life. But if it’s you, I think I’ll be ok.”

“I’m glad. If the two of us work together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish.” she said. “O-Oh, but I didn’t mean for this to turn into a lecture. I came here to give you this…”

She pulled out a neatly wrapped box of chocolate, holding it out to him with a bashful look on her face.

“I g-got you some chocolates… for Valentine’s Day.” Makoto stammered. “I-It’s not homemade… would you have preferred th-”

“Makoto.”

“H-huh?”

He gently placed his hands atop hers. “I love this. It makes me really happy.”

“I’m so glad.” she beamed.

“Want to share?” he asked.

“Sure, as long as it’s ok with you.”

They got into a comfortable position, feeding each other chocolates.

“I haven’t had the chance to ask yet, but how’s everything been going for you?” Ren asked.

“I’ve been doing lots of studying, hoping to get into Law School.” she explained. “I still hope to become the Police Commissioner.”

“You got this, Prez.” he grinned. “So, everything good with Sae-san, too?”

“It’s… been better.” she said. “But it’s still a little awkward between us.”

“I’m sure things will get better.” he encouraged.

“Yeah.” she nodded. “But… you’re going back next month, right?”

“I am.” he confirmed. “Wish you could come with me.”

“I do too.” she muttered. “But we can still keep in touch. We can call, or text, or visit each other. The distance between us may be far, but our hearts are just as close as ever.”

He felt a hint of a blush creep onto his cheeks. “H-Heh, that sounds like one of my lines.” he nervously said.

“Maybe you're starting to rub off on me.” she giggled.

He let out a laugh himself, before wrapping his arm around her.

“You know… when I first joined the Phantom Thieves, I did so to help those who were unjustly suffering.” Makoto mentioned. “And while that hasn’t changed, I have something else now too.”

“What would that be?” he asked.

She met his eyes, her expression shining with warmth and affection.

“I have someone who I want to make happy, just as they’ve done for me.” she expressed. “And I want to stand beside them, as someone they can always rely on.”

She slowly leaned her head against his shoulder.

“Someone… very special to me.”

He smiled, pulling her closer to him before planting a kiss to her temple.

“I think… you’ve made him the happiest guy in the world.” he whispered. “And that he would like nothing more than to always bring you the happiness you’ve given him.”

“Oh, Ren…” she trailed off.

“It’s funny… for the longest time, I’ve just wanted to be accepted. For people to acknowledge me for the type of person I am.” he mentioned. “And now I do. I have a group of people who accept me. I have a place where I belong.”

“Yes.” she smiled. “So do I.”

“Things may not be perfect, but I’m still the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.” Makoto continued. “And I want to keep learning and growing… with you.”

“There’s nothing I’d like more, Makoto.”

A comfortable silence fell over the two as they enjoyed their coffee and chocolate, both of them delighted to spend the day in each other’s embrace, in the cozy little cafe where they had shared so many memories...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, everyone! Next chapter, we'll be getting into more original material! I hope you enjoyed, and let me know what you think if you'd like!


	8. Birthday

It had been a few days, but she had finally gotten used to her new apartment.

She had moved out from her sister's apartment soon after she had graduated high school.

Her rigorous studying habits had paid off, and she had been accepted into one of the top law schools in the country.

She finally felt like she had gained a great deal of independence for herself.

And yet…

It felt terribly lonely at times.

Ren had gone back to his hometown about a month ago, and while things had improved between her and Sae… she wasn't sure if it was ideal.

“Well, maybe I’ll call her then.”

She dialed her sister’s number on her cellphone, hoping that she’d pick up.

“Hello, Makoto.” Sae greeted. “Did you need something?”

“Hey, sis! I was just wondering if maybe you’d like to have dinner tomorrow?” she asked.

“Tomorrow?” Sae repeated. “Sorry, I’ll be a bit busy during that time.”

“O-Oh.” Makoto muttered. “W-Well, that’s fine, it doesn’t have to be dinner! It could be anything! At any time!”

“I’m afraid that tomorrow as a whole is rather busy for me.” Sae responded. “Work has me very busy. It’ll have to be some other time.”

“Then… is there anything that’s happening tomorrow?” she asked.

“Anything else…?” Sae trailed off, seemingly thinking it over. “Not that I’m aware of, no. Why?”

“No reason…” she mumbled, not able to hide a bit of sadness in her voice.

“Makoto, is everything ok?” Sae asked. “Is there anything you need to speak to me about.”

She wanted to tell her, but… it sounded like her sister had other things to take care of right now.

Other… perhaps, more important things...

“Another time, sis.” Makoto said. “You seem so busy right now, so I’ll talk to you another time.”

“Well, alright...” Sae responded. “Goodbye, then.”

“Goodbye…”

She ended the call, sighing to herself.

“Guess that’s it, then…” she whispered to herself.

She glanced at the clock, realizing that it was still a little early.

But she wasn’t quite in the mood to do much of anything at the moment, so she simply crawled into bed…

* * *

She put the phone down, deep in thought.

“Was something… off about Makoto?” Sae mused. “She seemed to be acting a little strange.”

Sure, she wasn’t able to spend time with her tomorrow, but surely there would be other times.

She wouldn’t say that her relationship with her younger sister was completely healed, but that was what she wanted, so she would try her hardest to find out if something was wrong.

She racked her brain, trying to figure out if she had missed something.

She glanced towards the calendar, cursing under her breath when she saw tomorrow's date.

April 23rd.

Makoto’s birthday.

She frowned, mentally chastising herself.

How could she have forgotten her own sister's birthday? She had wanted to be better for her, but…

Really, this had all started when their father had died, and she had to support the two of them.

On Makoto's first birthday following that day, she had simply left a small sum of money on the table, and a note telling her to get some food for herself.

On her following birthdays, she didn't even do that.

She had to make it up to her somehow.

Maybe tomorrow wouldn't work, but Saturday…

She quickly brought her phone out, texting Makoto.

Sae: Would you be able to stop over on Saturday. Say… about 6:00pm? There's something really urgent that I need to speak to you about.

She waited a few minutes before hearing back from her.

Makoto: Ok.

Not a very enthusiastic response, but it was better than a refusal.

And probably better than she deserved.

Well, she’d just have to work her hardest to make this a wonderful birthday for Makoto.

“Let's see.” Sae said, glancing inside of her cupboards. “I’ll need to pick up some ingredients, that’s for sure…”

Her cellphone started ringing again as she was rummaging through her cupboards.

“Who is it now?” Sae wondered, picking up the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Sae-san, it’s me, Ren!”

“Oh… hello, Ren-kun.” Sae greeted. “You… aren’t in legal trouble again, are you?”

“Heh, no, not this time.” he chuckled. “I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be stopping by in Tokyo this Saturday. I was hoping to be here Friday for Makoto’s birthday, but I had school.”

So he remembered… that certainly didn’t make her feel better.

“Well, alright, but why didn’t you call her?” she asked him.

“Because I want to surprise her!” he grinned. “But, uh, I don’t want to barge in on any plans the two of you might have for her birthday, so I thought that I should call you.”

“We, didn’t-” she started, before thinking for a moment. “Actually… if you could help me with something, I’d be very grateful.”

“Oh, sure Sae-san.” he answered. “I’d be happy to help.”

“Excellent. Now then, let’s go over the details.”

* * *

She was an awful cook.

If all of the tiny cuts on her fingers had taught her anything, it was that.

“This is all for Makoto.” Sae thought to herself. “This is all for Makoto.”

A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts.

… And caused her to get yet another cut on her finger.

She quickly washed her finger under the sink before answering the door.

“Hey Sae-san!” Ren greeted. “I brought some decorations, so… we… can…”

He trailed off, glancing at the annoyed look on her face, the cut fingers, and her… attempt at cooking.

“Um… maybe I can handle the cooking, and you can hang up the decorations.” he suggested.

“I’m not the greatest at cooking, so I'm thankful for your assistance.” Sae told him. “Now then, do you know how to make-”

“Fried mackerel, right?” he grinned. “I’ve got it.”

She smiled. “Good.”

* * *

They both worked their hardest, and soon enough, they managed to hang up all of the decorations, as well as prepare dinner and dessert.

“Whew… all finished.” Ren grinned. “I’d say we did a pretty good job!”

“I agree.” Sae smiled. “Thank you for helping me with this.”

“It’s no trouble.” he replied. “We both want to make Makoto happy.”

“I suppose so.” Sae agreed. “I’m… very glad that she managed to find someone like you. I… I’ve apologized to Makoto for how I treated her beforehand, but… well, things between us have been better, yes, but not quite how they used to be.”

He nodded, silently encouraging her to continue.

“I suppose that it was foolish of me to think that everything would go back to normal so easily.” Sae muttered. “That's why… I really need to make an effort to improve.”

“Well, I’m sure that she'll really appreciate this.” he said.

“I’m sure she’ll be delighted to see you here too.” Sae mentioned. “She’s been so much happier ever since she met you. I can't remember the last time I’ve seen her this happy. I’m very thankful that you came into her life… and into mine as well.”

“T-Thanks…” he stammered. “Honestly, I feel the same about you two. You’ve both helped me out a lot.”

“It’s hard to believe that all of that Phantom Thievery was only a few months ago.” Sae brought up. “It feels like it was so long ago now.”

“I’m glad that we finally have some time to relax now.” Ren commented.

“Makoto should be getting here soon.” Sae reminded him. “If you want to surprise her, you should probably go and hide somewhere.”

“Right! Gotcha!”

He went off to find a place to hide, waiting for Makoto to arrive.

* * *

Soon enough, Sae heard a knock at the door.

“Sis, are you home?”

“Come in!”

Makoto slowly opened the door to Sae’s apartment…

And gasped at what she saw.

A giant banner hung from the ceiling that said, ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAKOTO!’

There were balloons and presents and party hats near the dinner table, which contained a variety of Makoto’s favorite foods, as well as a tasty-looking birthday cake on the table.

It even had a motorcycle cake topper!

“Well… what do you think?” Sae asked.

Makoto stood completely still for a few moments before tears started flowing in her eyes.

“Makoto, are you-”

Makoto immediately cut her off, running up to her and bringing her into a hug.

“Y-You… you remembered!” she cried. “You remembered…”

“I recalled it after you called me.” Sae mentioned. “I’m so sorry, Makoto. I… I’ll be better. I promise.”

“I-It’s ok, sis.” Makoto wept. “It’s ok. I’m… so glad.”

On one hand, it was nice to see her so happy, but on the other hand, the fact that she had been brought to tears simply from her remembering her birthday really showed how… distant she had been the past few years.

“Happy birthday, baby sis.” she whispered. “I’ve got one more surprise for you.”

“R-Really?”

“I do.” she nodded. “Close your eyes, ok.”

She did just that, closing her eyes as Sae walked out for a moment, giving Ren the opportunity to sneak up on her, whispering into her ear.

“Happy birthday, my Queen.” he beamed.

She gasped again, opening her eyes, seeing her boyfriend right in front of her.

“R-Ren...?” she stammered in disbelief.

She wasted no time and flung herself into his arms.

“You’re here! You’re really here!” she cried.

He twirled her around the apartment, both of them laughing in sheer joy before collapsing onto the couch.

“You’re here!” she repeated, before crashing her lips on his.

She placed her hand on his face, as if she wanted to make sure he was real.

Satisfied that he was, she broke the kiss for air, glancing up at him with an adoring look on her face.

“I missed you.” she whispered. “I know it’s only been a month, but I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too.” he confessed. “I’m glad I was able to make it to your birthday.”

“How long are you staying?”

“I’ll have to head back tomorrow.” he told her. “But not until late, so we can spend a little more time together.”

Hearing that, an idea came to her. One that made a blush creep onto her face.

“I c-could… bring you over to my apartment. J-Just the two of us.” she offered. “I’ll s-show you around.”

“O-Oh, yeah. Sounds good.” he responded.

The sound of the door opening alerted both of them.

“S-Sis!” Makoto stammered. “Ren is… wait… did you two…?”

“I might have had a little help setting this up.” Sae replied, smiling. “Are you hungry, Makoto?”

The three of them sat down to eat, a look of pure joy on Makoto’s face when she took the first bit out of the fried mackerel.

Numerous topics were discussed during dinner and desert, including Sae’s work, Makoto and Ren’s schoolwork, and how they were adjusting to University and their hometown respectively.

After they had finished their dinner, they all sat down on the couch, handing their presents to Makoto.

“Here are mine, Makoto.” Sae said, handing her two presents.

She carefully ripped the wrapping paper, opening the gift to find.

“Oh! A new pair of boxing gloves!” Makoto grinned. “Thank you, sis!”

“I recalled that you were starting to get more into kickboxing.” San mentioned. “If you ever get tired of tossing your boyfriend to the mat with your Aikido, I’m always up for a spar.”

“H-Hey.” Ren protested. “I win our Aikido matches too… sometimes…”

Makoto let out a small giggle as she tried them on. “I’ll keep that in mind, sis.”

She went to open Sae’s second present, gasping at what was inside.

“You mentioned that you had just gotten a motorcycle and were looking for a helmet.” Sae recalled.

The helmet was grey, and had a sort of metallic look to it, reminding her of the Phantom Thief mask.

“It’s great! Thank you so much, sis!”

“I’m glad that you liked it.” Sae smiled.

With both of Sae’s presents opened, Ren quickly grabbed his own.

“And here’s my present to you, my love.” Ren cooed.

Sae rolled her eyes, a bemused look on her face as a blushing Makoto took the present from Ren’s hands.

“A copy of ‘Like a Dragon’!” Makoto beamed. “Thank you, Ren.”

“Another Yakuza movie for the collection, huh?” he grinned.

“Of course!” she agreed.

“And speaking of collections…” Ren trailed off, handing her another gift to her.

It seemed this day was full of surprises, as soon as Makoto saw what was inside, her eyes widened, and her mouth hung agape.

She quickly ripped open the box, no longer caring for being tidy.

“Where! Did! You! Find! This?!” she yelled.

Sae raised an eyebrow, wondering what could have possibly elicited a response like that from her younger sister.

She leaned over, seeing the present for herself.

“Heh… I should have known.” Sae chuckled. “More pandas.”

Inside the box was a T-shirt depicting a certain cartoon mascot.

“I managed to find one back in my hometown.” Ren answered. “I guess Buchimaru’s popular everywhere, huh?”

Immediately, Makoto brought him into another hug. “Thank you so much!”

Just as soon as she hugged him, however, she quickly released him.

“I’ll go change into this right now… um, if that’s ok.”

Both of them nodded, and she quickly went into another room to change. While they waited for her to return, Sae gathered all the wrapping paper to throw away, while Ren grabbed the party hats.

“What are you doing?” Sae wondered.

She watched him put on one of the party hats and pick up the others, each of them also depicting a panda.

“Be a shame if we let these go to waste.” he grinned.

It was then that Makoto had stepped back into the room, wearing her new T-shirt.

“How does it look?” she beamed.

Catching Ren starting, Sae cleared her throat.

“I-It looks really good on you, Makoto.” Ren stammered, a hint of red on his cheeks. “Oh, here.”

He passed her one of the party hats, which she happily put on before the two of them turned to her.

“Wait… why are you looking at me?” Sae asked.

“You know… we still have one more party hat, Sae-san.” Ren smirked.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Sae deadpanned.

“Come on, sis, try it! What do you have to lose?” Makoto asked.

“My dignity, for one thing…” Sae thought to herself.

“Welp, you heard the birthday girl’s wishes, Sae-san.” Ren said. “And the Queen’s orders…”

“Are absolute!” Makoto finished.

Well, she supposed it really wasn’t that bad.

She took the party hat, placing it on her head.

Makoto walked over to her side, smiling brightly. “Oh! Take a picture, Ren!”

Her happiness must have been infectious, as Sae found herself letting out a smile as well.

Ren happily snapped several photos of the two sisters, and glancing at the photos, she had to admit they looked nice, even if she had been a little embarrassed to take them.

Well, maybe she could get back with a little teasing.

“Honestly, you’ve been obsessed over pandas for as long as I can remember.” Sae said.

“I-I’m not obsessed!” Makoto defended.

“Don’t you remember all the times when you’d jump on my bed shouting ‘Buchi, Buchi, Buchi’ whenever he was on T.V?” she laughed.

“T-That was years ago!” Makoto stuttered. “I was three!”

“I think I still have some pictures of you walking around in your little panda onesie when you were little.” Sae remembered. “Maybe Ren-kun would like to see them?”

“SIS, NO!”

She let out a small laugh. “Sorry, sorry. Why don’t the three of us watch a movie?”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Makoto said. “Ren, could you grab something from my room for us to watch? And some blankets and pillows too?”

Ren nodded, a slight smirk on his face as he had the perfect idea as to what he should grab.

* * *

“Ren, whyyyyyyyy?!”

Instead of a Yakuza movie, her boyfriend had instead gone to grab a Buchimaru movie from her room.

He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her closer to him on the couch. “It’s ok, Makoto. I think your panda obsession is kinda cute.”

“I’m not...well, ok, maybe I’m a little obsessed.” Makoto admitted. “Just a little.”

The three of them actually sat through the entire movie. Being filled with cutesy characters and musical numbers, it wasn’t exactly to Sae’s tastes, but seeing how happy Makoto was allowed her to get some enjoyment out of it herself.

As the credits started to roll, Sae got up from the couch, and, noticing the time, decided it was about time to head to bed.

“Alright, I’m going to bed, so if you two would...oh.”

She saw the two of them snuggled together on the couch, the blanket sprawled out and barely covering them.

She shook her head, a fond smile on her face.

She grabbed the blanket and carefully pulled it over them so that they were both properly covered.

“Can’t have you two catching a cold before you spend time together.” Sae whispered, smiling as she shut off the T.V and headed to bed herself, leaving the two lovers to their blissful sleep.


	9. Wedding

Here it was… the big day.

He was excited of course, but also incredibly nervous.

“Calm down, Ren.” he muttered to himself. “You've beaten Gods before. This should be nothing.”

He felt a hand on his shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts and causing him to jump.

“Jeez, dude, calm down.”

He whipped around, seeing Ryuji with a smirk on his face.

“Come on man, you can't be freaking out on your wedding day!” Ryuji said. “You should be excited!”

“I _am_ excited.” Ren clarified. “It's just… I want everything to be perfect for her.”

“Dude, listen.” Ryuji sighed. “You pulled out all the stops, and we were all willing to pitch in. Yusuke helped with the decorating, Haru helped with the catering… I’m sure she loves this. Hell, you could hold the wedding in a dump and she’d still think it was perfect. Cause’ she's marrying you.”

He gave a smile, thankful for Ryuji’s support.

“Thanks. I needed to hear that.” he said.

“Course! That's why I’m your best man, right?” Ryuji grinned. “But, ya know…”

“What?”

“I wasn't expecting you to be wearin’ a tux.”

“Isn't that normal?” he asked, wearing an eyebrow.

“Yeah, but knowing Makoto, I thought she’d be wearin’ the tux, and you’d have a dress on.” Ryuji smirked.

“Very funny.” Ren deadpanned. “And what about you?”

“Well, this ain't exactly comfortable, but I wasn't about to skimp out on my friends’ wedding.” Ryuji grinned. “And also… I _really_ didn't want to piss off Makoto. She's scary when she's angry.”

“Oh? Maybe I should tell her you said that.” he smirked.

“C-Come on, man, don't do that!” Ryuji protested, before letting out a smirk off his own. “I’m surprised she hasn't smacked you for how much you tease her.”

“Maybe it's my irresistible charm.” he grinned.

“Yeah, yeah.” Ryuji said, shaking his head. “Now hurry up and use that ‘irresistible charm’ of yours and woo her off her feet!”

He nodded, a familiar smirk spreading across his face.

“It's showtime.” he smirked to himself. 

Hopefully, Makoto wasn't feeling nervous like he was.

* * *

She was feeling incredibly nervous.

She took deep breath after deep breath, looking herself over in the mirror for perhaps the hundredth time.

A part of her couldn't help but worry.

What if something went wrong?

What if she screwed something up?

What if-

“Makoto, are you… ready…?”

She looked over her shoulder, seeing her sister wiping at her eyes behind her.

“Sis, what's wrong?”

“N-Nothing.” Sae stammered. “It's just… you look just like mother.”

“I… do?”

“Yes…” Sae trailed off. “I remember when I was a little girl, I would sit on mother's lap, and she’d show me a scrapbook filled with pictures of her and father.”

“Do I really look like mother?” Makoto asked.

“You do. You look beautiful.” Sae complimented. “I’m sure that Ren will think so too.”

“I wish that Mom and Dad were here to see this.” Makoto muttered.

“I know.” Sae whispered. “But I’m sure

that they're still watching over us, and that they're very proud of you.”

“Sis…”

“And I’m very proud of you too, Makoto.” Sae smiled.

She quickly brought her older sister into a hug.

“Thank you, sis.” Makoto smiled. “For everything…”

Sae said nothing, simply squeezing Makoto a little tighter.

“Sis, are you… crying?” 

“O-Of course not.” Sae quickly denied.

“Sis, your mascara’s running.” Makoto replied, a small smile on her face.

“That's just your imagination, Makoto.”

Both sisters let out a laugh.

“Are you ready, Makoto?”

She nodded, walking with Sae so that she could be led down the aisle.

She glanced around, seeing the various guests that had attended.

Most of them, admittedly, were people that Ren knew or people they both knew, but there were a few of her friends as well.

She spotted Ann and Eiko, who, between the two of them, must have gone through about 5 boxes of tissues at this point. Haru and Futaba were nearby, not quite as emotional, they were still shedding quite a few tears.

Glancing over, she saw Ryuji and Yusuke, both of them looking emotional as well, although Ryuji was trying his best to hide it.

Even Morgana was there, with a small little bow tie.

Finally, her gaze settled on him, and a familiar blush formed when she realized just how _dashing_ he looked in that tuxedo.

When they're eyes met, she let out a smile when she saw the stunned expression on his face.

She would have to thank the others later for helping her pick out the dress.

* * *

She looked incredible.

Just the right amount of makeup to enhance her beauty, and a dress that showed just enough skin to drive him insane.

It was hard to believe that, in just a few minutes, this amazing woman would be his wife.

Sae walked Makoto, giving him a smile before walking away.

“You… you look…”

“Breathtaking?” she finished, a small smirk on her face.

“Like a Queen.” he whispered.

* * *

Everything had gone perfectly.

Well, there was a moment when they were so mesmerized by the other that they had nearly forgotten their vows, but neither of them seemed to mind.

The best part, they both found, was when they had kissed with all of the passion and love that they had, sealing their union as husband and wife.

Now, they were sitting down at the wedding reception, taking a small break from the festivities to enjoy some of their wedding cake together.

“Hmm…”

“What is it, Ren?”

He gave his signature smirk before using his finger to scoop up some frosting from her nose, before placing it into his mouth.

“Wonder how that got there?” he grinned.

“R-R-Ren!” she squeaked, her face turning red.

“Jeez, I told you they’d be acting all mushy, Sojiro!”

They both turned around, seeing Sojiro and Futaba.

“I was looking around for you two.” Sojiro grinned. “Congratulations to both of you.”

“Thank you, Boss.” Makoto beamed.

“Heh… make sure you keep this troublemaker in line.” Sojiro chuckled.

“Will do, Boss.” Makoto laughed.

“Aww, come on, I’m not a troublemaker anymore, am I?”

“Hehehe… Sojiro’s just trying to act cool.” Futaba smirked. “You should have seen how much he was crying during the ceremony.”

“Wha- Futaba!” Sojiro exclaimed.

Futaba simply laughed, before addressing the newly married couple.

“Say, now that you're married, there's something I need to ask.”

“What's that, Futaba?” Makoto asked.

“When are you two going to make me an aunt?”

“W-W-What?!” Makoto stammered, her face glowing bright red.

“W-Wait…” Ren trailed off, his face beginning to flush as well.

“I was wondering when you two were gonna have kids.” Futaba mischievously grinned.

“K-Kids…” Makoto repeated. “W-Well…”

They had talked about it, and both of them decided that they wanted kids someday.

“Alright, that's enough.” Sojiro said. “Let's leave the two of them alone for now.”

Futaba and Sojiro left, leaving the two of them time to relax.

“I didn't expect the wedding to be so big.” Makoto commented. “You certainly know a lot of people.”

“Seriously…” he nodded. “This sure is a lot of stuff.”

They both glanced at the variety of wedding gifts that the others had given them.

A fancy coffee grinder and an assortment of coffee beans from Sojiro.

A Couple’s Massage at a nice spa from Kawakami.

A shogi set and books about the game from Hifumi.

A knife set from Iwai.

A set of tarot cards from Chihaya.

A pair of headphones from Shinya.

Replicas of their old Phantom Thief masks from Mishima

A collection of manga from Futaba.

Several bottles of wine from Lala and Ohya. Apparently, they would taste even better in about a decade. They smiled when they heard that, imagining a nice romantic anniversary.

A one month gym membership for the two of them from Ryuji.

A painted picture of the two from Yusuke.

A goodie basket filled with treats from Ann.

A bunch of innocent plushies from Eiko, as well as some… not so innocent massage gels and lotions.

They would be lying if they said they weren't _very_ eager to use them

And from Haru… an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii for their home honeymoon.

They both felt a little bad about that one, asking her multiple times if they were sure, buy she insisted, saying that using her money to help make her friends happy was better than having it just sit around.

“Hey, Mako.”

“Yes, Ren?”

“Since we’re married…” he trailed off. “Does that make me a king?”

She gave him a strange look for a moment before it hit her.

“Oh, I see.” she smiled. “Yes, I guess that makes you my King, Ren!” 

“More like the court jester.”

“Sis?” Makoto questioned, finding Sae right behind them.

“Jester?” Ren muttered. “You couldn’t have at least said Joker?”

“Nope.” Sae tersely responded, though she had amused look on her face.

When Sae locked eyes with Makoto, however, she couldn’t help but tear up again when she saw Makoto in her wedding dress.

“A-Are you ok?”

“I’m sorry.” Sae whispered. “I thought I would be able to keep myself composed, but…”

“Sis, it’s ok.” Makoto smiled. “It’s ok to be emotional. It’s a wedding, after all.”

“Yeah, don’t worry, sis.” Ren grinned.

“Sis?” Sae questioned. “Ha… I suppose you are my brother-in-law now, aren’t you?”

Sae gave both of the newlyweds a hug, before presenting a gift to the two of them.

“I’m not the best at picking out gifts, but I thought that the two of you would like this.”

Sae held out a large scrapbook, flipping through it to show them several pictures of them.

“I’m sure that the two of you have plenty of memories that you can fill this scrapbook with.” Sae mentioned. “And I also got you this.”

She handed Ren a camera.

“I’m sure that the two of you make many more memories together.” Sae smiled.

Makoto immediately pulled her older sister into another hug, both of them beginning to tear up.

“Thanks sis!” Makoto sniffled. “I love you.”

“Love you too, baby sis.”

Ren quietly took out the camera, snapping a picture of the two of them before they separated.

“Looks like we’ve made another memory already.” Ren smiled.

“R-Ren!” Makoto gasped.

“You… You’d better not show that to anyone else!” Sae threatened.

“Your signature glare isn’t quite as effective when you’re crying, _sis_.” Ren teased.

“This is going to be a thing now, isn’t it?” Sae muttered.

“Yup!” Ren grinned.

Makoto simply giggled, and even Sae let out a small smile.

* * *

The three of them continued to speak for some time, before Sae left the two of them to themselves.

“Hey, Ren…?” Makoto asked. “I was wondering something.”

“Wondering about what?”

She seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if she no longer wanted to ask.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze to comfort her.

“It’s ok, you can talk to me.” he gently smiled. “I’m your husband, after all.”

Husband.

He was her husband.

Those words gave her a warm, happy feeling.

“It’s just… I was wondering if… your family was here?”

She saw Ren frown, immediately feeling guilty. 

“I sent them an invitation, but…” he trailed off. “Guess they didn’t show up.”

She quickly brought him into a hug, kissing his temple.

“Oh, Ren…” she whispered.

“It’s ok, Makoto,” he whispered back. “I have a new family now. A loving family.”

He pulled Makoto closer to him, capturing her lips with his own.

She felt herself melt into the kiss, wanting to let her _husband_ know just how much he was loved.

As they broke apart, he smiled at her, brushing his thumb over her knuckles, and the wedding ring she wore.

“Ren Niijima has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” he grinned.

“It does.” she agreed, lying her head on his shoulder.

As time went on, the wedding reception ended, and the newly married couple returned to their homes, making preparations for their honeymoon, and to spend the rest of their lives together.


	10. Family

She felt awful.

For the past week, she’d been feeling incredibly nauseous and tired.

For the life of her, she couldn’t find out why, or what was wrong with her.

She had tried to power through it the first few days, but today she felt worse than normal, so she had had to call in sick to work.

The entire situation had made her incredibly irritable.

If there was one consolation, however, it was her wonderful, loving husband being there for her, even taking the day off from work for her.

“You didn’t have to do this.” she whispered.

“I wanted to take care of you.” he whispered back.

She let out a pleasured sigh as he started rubbing small circles on her back.

“Better?” he asked.

“Yes.” she responded.

“I’m going to make breakfast, ok?” Ren said. “I know you're not hungry, but you really should eat something.”

He gave her a peck on the cheek before leaving the bathroom.

“Let me know if you need anything, ok Mako?”

“Ok.”

As he went to the kitchen, she started thinking over what her condition could be, going over her symptoms one by one.

“Wait a minute…” she mused. “Could I be…?

She swiftly dug through the bathroom cupboards, eventually finding what she was looking for.

A pregnancy test.

After what felt like an agonizingly long wait, the results finally came back.

And they were exactly what she expected.

“R-Ren…?” she stammered. “There's something I need to tell you.”

“Yeah, Makoto?”

She paused. What if Ren didn't want this?

No, they both agreed that they wanted a child.

But what if…

“Makoto?”

She shook her head. It wasn't like she could hide this from him forever.

“Ren… I figured out why I wasn't feeling well.” Makoto said.

“It's not anything bad, is it?” Ren asked.

“N-No… well, I don't think so.” she muttered.

Seeing his confusion, she decided to quit beating around the bush.

“Renyouaregoingtobeadad!” she rapidly shouted.

“...What?” Ren said.

“I’m… I’m pregnant.” Makoto whispered. “You’re going to be a dad.”

She saw his expression shift into one of pure shock.

“I’m… going to be a dad…?” he asked in disbelief.

“Yes…”

“I’m going to be a dad.” he repeated, before breaking out into a huge smile. “I’m going to be a dad!”

He immediately picked her up and started twirling her around.

“We’re going to be parents, Makoto!” he exclaimed.

“R-Ren, put me down!” Makoto yelled.

But the sheer joy on his face was infectious, and soon she found herself laughing as he set her down and started peppering her face with kisses.

“R-Rennnn!”

“Do you really want me to stop?” he smirked.

“N-Nooo…” she mewled.

He kissed her a few more times before drawing her into a hug.

“Thank you.” he whispered. “Thank you for giving me a family.”

She felt herself tearing up as she nuzzled into him.

“I should be thanking you.” she whispered back. “I’m so happy to start a family with you.”

* * *

After receiving the wonderful news, the two quickly started sharing the good news, starting with Sae. However...

“Deep breaths, Makoto, deep breaths.” he comforted, gently rubbing circles on her back.

The married couple sat down at their favorite booth in Leblanc, waiting to meet up with Sae.

“How do we explain this to sis?!” Makoto exclaimed.

“It’ll be fine. I promise.” he insisted. “And well, even if it isn't, you can distract her while I make a break for it.”

“Ren!” Makoto yelled.

“Kidding! I’m kidding.” Ren chuckled.

Before she could respond, the door to Leblanc opened, with Sae walking inside.

“You two wished to speak with me?” Sae asked.

“Y-Yes. Please, sit down, sis.” Makoto insisted. “This is important.”

Sae raised an eyebrow before sitting down across from them.

“Do you remember when I was telling you about how I was feeling ill this past week.” Makoto brought up.

Immediately, a worried expression crossed over the former prosecutor’s face.

“Makoto, it's not anything serious, is it?” Sae asked.

“N-No, I mean yes, I mean…” Makoto trailed off.

“She’s not in any danger, Sae.” Ren clarified. “So don’t worry about that.”

“That’s a relief.” Sae said. “So what was the problem, then?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that it’s a problem...” Makoto responded.

“What do you mean?”

“We’re having a baby.” she beamed.

“A baby…” Sae gasped. “That's… congratulations!”

“C-Congratulations?” Makoto stammered.

“You… do want the baby, don’t you?” Sae asked.

“O-Of course!” Makoto exclaimed. “I was just worried about what your reaction would be.”

“You’re both responsible adults and have enough income to support a child.” Sae pointed out. “I have no objections.”

“Looking forward to a new niece or a nephew to spoil?” Ren asked.

“I might be.” Sae smiled.

The three began conversing over various subjects pertaining to Makoto’s pregnancy. At some point, he had brewed some coffee… but only for himself and Sae.

“Ren… aren’t you going to make me coffee too?” Makoto asked.

“Ah, well…” Ren trailed off. “Right now, there are certain things that you can’t really…”

It was then that she was hit by a horrible realization.

“Oh God…” Makoto muttered. “I can’t have your coffee for nine months.”

* * *

Even though she could no longer indulge in her husband’s coffee, with her pregnancy came… new cravings.

Which was how Ren got sent to pick up a tub of strawberry ice cream at 2 in the morning.

He brought two tubs of it, just in case.

As he entered their bedroom, however…

“Ren!” Makoto exclaimed. “Where were you?”

He raised an eyebrow. “At the store, remember?”

“I missed you.” she whimpered.

He decided against pointing out that he was only gone for half an hour, knowing that her emotional state was probably just a result of her pregnancy.

“Let me make it up to you.” Ren offered, holding up a bowl of ice cream. “How about this?”

“Oh my God I love you!” Makoto exclaimed, snatching the ice cream from him.

He wrapped his arms around her, planting small kisses as she enjoyed her ice cream.

“Ohhhh~” Makoto moaned. “I’m in heaven.”

“So am I.” he grinned. “Cause I see an angel.”

“Charmer.” Makoto giggled, playfully slapping his arm.

After she finished the bowl, Ren got up to put it into the sink.

“Um… Ren?” she replied, beckoning him over. “There’s another craving I’ve been having.”

“Really?” he asked, walking over to her. “What would that be?”

“Something… very sweet.” she cooed, before giving him a passionate kiss.

* * *

She was quite a few months into her pregnancy at this point.

Right now, she was simply enjoying a few strawberries on the couch.

She had found that strawberries and milk sated her cravings just as well as the ice cream, as well as being healthier to boot.

She had always been careful about her nutrition, doubly so now that she was responsible for her baby's health.

As she went to take a bite of her strawberry, a sudden pressure caused her to drop it.

“O-Oh!”

“M-Makoto, what’s wrong?!” Ren shouted, shooting out of his seat. “Is everything ok?! The babies not-”

“Ren, it’s fine.” Makoto insisted. “The little one just gave a little kick, that’s all.”

As the months went on, she did find that Ren had grown a little… overprotective.

He always was on the lookout for danger, he helped her up every set of stairs, and overreacted at every bit of minor discomfort she felt.

It was sweet, if a little much at times.

“Speaking of the baby…” Makoto trailed off. “Have you been thinking about names?”

“I considered Maurice, but that might stand out too much.” Ren shrugged. “So maybe Kazuhiko if it’s a boy.”

She gave a small giggle. “Are you just naming them after your favorite writers or mangakas?”

“W-Well…”

“I’m just teasing.” Makoto smiled. “Kazuhiko would be a good name for a boy. But what about a girl?”

“I’m not sure.” Ren shrugged. “Couldn’t think of a good one.”

“Hmm…”

She wracked her brain, trying to think of a good name.

“Maybe something close to Johanna?” Makoto suggested. “She’s had such a big impact on my life, after all.”

“I can imagine.” Ren smirked. “She is you, after all.”

“Oh, you know what I mean!” Makoto said, rolling her eyes.

“Seriously though, I don’t think that’s too bad of an idea.” Ren said. “Let me know if you think of something.”

She nodded, hoping she could think of something in time.

* * *

Was she really cut out for this?

Thoughts like that had been plaguing her the last few days.

“Everything ok, Mako? It’s pretty late.”

She turned her head, seeing Ren sitting down next to her on the balcony.

“I’ll be just a few minutes, Ren. You can head to bed.” Makoto said. “I just wanted some fresh air and some time to think.”

“Was there something bothering you?” Ren asked.

Honestly, he could read her better than she read her studying materials, and that was saying something!

“I… don't know if I’m cut out for this, Ren.” Makoto whispered. “Being a parent, I mean.”

“Why’s that?” Ren asked.

“My mother died when I was very young.” Makoto muttered. “And my father was killed in the line of duty…”

Tears started falling down her face.

“I-I don't have any idea how to be a mother.” she wept. “A-And even if I did… what if something happened to me? What if I was killed, leaving them and-”

He cut her off, bringing her into a tight hug.

“It's ok, Mako.” he consoled. “It's going to be ok.”

“But-”

“Makoto, listen to me.” Ren insisted. “Part of the reason I love you so much is because of how kind and caring you are.”

“Still…

“And besides, who says you have no experience as a parent.” Ren smirked. “What about those six teenagers and cat we adopted, Mamakoto?”

“R-Ren, the Phantom Thieves don't count!” Makoto exclaimed.

“I know it's not exactly the same, but I also know that you’ve always been there for them.” he pointed out. “Helping Ann and Ryuji study, helping Futaba with her fears, making sure Yusuke doesn't starve to death…” he trailed off. “I think that nurturing nature of yours is pretty well suited for being a mom.”

She gave a soft smile through her tears.

“Thank you.” she said sincerely, before pausing to note his expression.

“You’re having doubts too, weren't you Ren?”

“Haha… You know me so well.” Ren said, forcing a small laugh.

“I should hope so. I am your wife, after all.” she said, offering a sympathetic smile. “And as your wife, I want to help with whatever’s eating at you.”

Ren returned her smile, taking a deep breath before elaborating.

“I… never knew my father.” Ren muttered. “And I never had a great relationship with my mother. I… want to be a better father for our kids, but I’m not sure if it’ll be enough.”

“You shouldn’t sell yourself short like that, Ren.” Makoto pointed out. “You’ve always been willing to lend a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on for me, the other Thieves, and countless other people. And you were so happy when you first found out I was pregnant. I’m sure that you’ll give our child plenty of love.”

He smiled, bringing her into a kiss, gently placing his hand on her belly.

“Thanks.” Ren whispered. “I suppose I was just getting nervous.”

“I understand.” Makoto replied. “We’re not going to be perfect. We’re going to make mistakes. But we’re a team. We’ll learn how to be parents together.”

She took his hands in her own, giving him a bright smile.

“Study partners, right?” she beamed.

“...Yeah.” he grinned. “Study partners.”

The couple went back to bed, their worries eased with the knowledge that they had each other’s support.

* * *

“You’re very late, you know?!”

“I know, I know, I know!”

As soon as he had heard that his wife was in labor, he rushed to the hospital as fast as he could.

When he arrived, he saw that Sae was already there, as well as Sojiro and Futaba.

“She’s already inside.” Sae told him.

He swiftly opened the door, finding an exhausted looking Makoto and her doctor on the other side.

“R-Ren…?” Makoto weakly said.

“I’m here.” Ren said, taking a seat next to here.

He took his hand in hers, brushing his thumb over her knuckles, hoping to calm her down.

He couldn’t imagine the amount of pain she was in.

He would need to find a way to lighten the mood…

He turned to the doctor, who cleared their throat before addressing him.

“Is this her first born?” the doctor asked.

“No, this is her husband.” he replied.

“REN, I SWEAR TO GOD!” Makoto screamed, gripping his hand like a vice.

Maybe he should save the dad jokes for after his child was delivered…

* * *

Thankfully, everything had gone ok, and both Makoto and their child were both perfectly fine.

A shame about his hand, though…

He could feel his heart melting as he saw Makoto’s adoring look as she held their daughter.

Their daughter...

“Hehehe… look at how messy her hair is.” she weakly laughed, a few tears falling down her face. “S-She must have gotten that from you.”

He smiled, seeing the messy black curls on his daughter’s head.

“Have you thought of a name yet?” Ren asked.

“...Hana.” Makoto whispered. “We’ll name her Hana.”

“I like it.” Ren smiled.

“Here.” Makoto said. “You can hold her.”

He carefully took Hana from Makoto’s hands, treating her like the gentlest thing in the world.

He felt his eyes tearing up as he looked down at Hana, the newborn peacefully resting in his arms.

Even if she had just been born, he felt an overwhelming desire to love and protect her.

After holding her for a while, he saw the others entering the room, and he passed Hana for Sae to hold.

“Hey, no fair!” Futaba protested. “I’m her aunt! I want to hold her!”

“I’m her aunt too.” Sae pointed out. “And you're not blood related.”

“So?” Futaba scoffed. “I’m still gonna be the cool aunt!”

“All right, all right, that’s enough.” Sojiro chuckled. “You’ll get your turn, Futaba.”

Little Hana was slowly passed around to everyone, the newborn bringing smiles to all of their faces.

After Makoto was feeling well enough to leave, Ren and Makoto went home, eager to welcome little Hana into their family.

* * *

“What happened next, auntie?”

Sae smiled as she looked down at the small child sitting in her lap, her ruby eyes shining with curiosity.

She had been telling her stories for a while now, cutting out the parts that would be too inappropriate for a small child.

Since it was close to her bedtime, she was already in her panda pajamas.

Makoto claimed that she was her ‘Buchi baby’.

She turned the page in the scrapbook, pointing to the pictures.

“That’s you when you were a little baby.” Sae said. “You weren't even a year old then.”

The sound of the door opening alerted the both of them.

“Mommy! Daddy!” Hana cheered, running into her father’s arms.

Ren immediately picked her up, giving Hana a kiss on the forehead, causing her to giggle.

“Were you a good girl for your auntie, Princess?” Ren asked.

“Uh huh!” Hana nodded, giving a toothy grin. “I behaved, just like you said.”

“That’s a good girl!” Ren praised. “But a good girl also needs to be asleep by her bedtime.”

“But daddy…” Hana whined.

“Princess.” Ren frowned, his voice getting a little sterner.

“B-But… mommy kisses.” Hana said.

Ren frown quickly turned into a smile. “Oh, of course! How could I forget?”

He handed Hana over to Makoto, you gave her a kiss as well.

“Let’s get you to bed, ok?” Makoto said.

As Makoto went to tuck Hana into bed, Ren sat down next to Sae.

“Thank you for babysitting Hana.” Ren said. “I hope she didn’t give you too much trouble.”

“Oh no, she wasn't any trouble at all.” Sae insisted.

“That’s good.” Ren chuckled. “Wouldn’t want you to get any premature grey hairs from stress, right Sis?”

“Very funny.” Sae muttered, rolling her eyes. “But you know, I’ve been telling her stories about you two for some time, and she doesn’t seem tired at all.”

“She’s our little coffee bean.” Ren beamed. “She’s just bursting with energy.”

“Thank you for looking after Hana again, sis.” Makoto said, returning from putting Hana to bed.

She had been babysitting her niece more often as of late, since Makoto and Ren had been visiting the doctor often, as they had another baby on the way.

“S-Sis, did you give Hana sweets?” Makoto frowned, pointing to a candy wrapper in the kitchen.

“Oh, well… I might have gotten her a little something.” Sae admitted.

“I told you not to give her sweets.” Makoto sighed. “She just had some earlier today.”

“I know that, but…” Sae trailed off. “Well, I suppose I just couldn’t resist."

“Who would have thought that the mighty defense attorney Sae Niijima would be beaten by a toddler.” Ren chuckled.

“She can be very convincing when she wants to be.” Sae noted. “I suppose she’s a lot like you in that regard.”

“Just don’t go interrogating her.” Ren joked.

The three continued to speak for some time, before Sae had to leave, the two of them sitting on the couch together, flipping through their scrapbook.

“It’s hard to believe how much we’ve gone through.” Makoto commented.

“We might need to get a new scrapbook at this point.” Ren lightly chuckled.

Makoto laid her head onto his shoulder, cuddling with him on the couch.

“I want to keep making more memories with you, Hana, sis, and everyone else.” Makoto whispered. “For the rest of my life.”

“Me too.” he replied. “I hope we never stop learning together, study partner."

He kissed her forehead, the married couple looking over all of the memories they had made over the years, eager to make many more in the years to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading all the way through, everyone! I hope that you enjoyed, an have a great day!


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